


I Don't Wanna See, I Don't Want to Open My Eyes

by torichavonne



Category: GOT7, K-pop
Genre: Alternate Universe, Alternate Universe - Medieval, Anal Sex, Angst, Angst with a Happy Ending, Betrayal, Blood, Childhood Friends, Coma, Concubine, Falling In Love, Flashbacks, Forced Marriage, Grief/Mourning, Kissing, M/M, Near Death Experiences, Pining, Sibling Rivalry, Violence
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-08-28
Updated: 2018-05-23
Packaged: 2018-08-11 11:58:57
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 13
Words: 24,516
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7891240
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/torichavonne/pseuds/torichavonne
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Kunpimook refused to fall for his charms. He would fight until his final breath. This man was not his husband; he was his captor.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Guess who is back, but with a new fic? Things got crazy and messy, so this fic didn't get off the ground until this past week. I had started writing it, then I shelved it, and then I brought it back. Here we are.
> 
> This fic is not nearly as dark as it sounds in the description. However, it will be an angsty (and maybe lengthy) fic. I did not plan this, so I am going on a whim here.
> 
> The title comes from Fiestar's "Mirror." It was last minute because I played myself and didn't think of a title until I was ready to post.'
> 
> Please enjoy!

Fear made his stomach turn, and he was so close to vomiting. He wanted to run and not turn back. For once, he wished he’d never come home to his mother.

She presented the letter to him when he’d returned from university. It was tradition that the heirs to the throne were to seek a post-secondary education. His studies had required him to move to a neighboring ally kingdom, and he hoped coming home would be a joyous affair. Instead, he was given a jewelry box and a letter with ink smudged by tears.

“Mother, what is this?” he asked her, noticing the sad look on her face. She shook her head and covered her mouth. “Mother…”

“They’ve come for your hand. I thought they would forget. I had hope they would forget,” she cried. Her body swayed, and Kunpimook caught her before she could fall. A servant had to help her to sit down. Staring once more before her words connected the dots, the ring felt like ball and chain in his hand. It was so heavy and absolute.

_They came with lightning speed. When news had reached the castle, it was too late to evacuate. The halls were lined with bodies of servants and guards. The carpet was soaked in their blood. It smelled like death._

_The leader, Im Jae-suk, raised his sword to strike down the Queen. She raised one arm to try and shield herself from the blow and closed her eyes. The blow she had feared never came, and she opened her eyes. A gasp forced its way past her lips when she saw her fourteen-year-old son standing between her and death._

_“Move if you want to keep your head!”_

_“You will not harm her!” the teen hissed. “You will not murder her like you’ve done the others!”_

_Jae-suk sneered and kneeled over him. “Who do you think you are child? What gives you the right to speak to a great leader in this rude manner?!”_

_“I’m this kingdom’s prince! I am this woman’s only child!” Jae-suk froze before smirking. He chuckled darkly and waved his hand behind him. The men that had stormed in with him turned and left their leader._

_Jae-suk sneered, “Is that so? Well, that changes everything.” He walked to the throne and plopped down. Kunpimook had to remember all his royal  manners not to try and slaughter this man for defacing the throne. Waving his hand, two guards grabbed the boy and dragged him to kneel at the throne before their leader._

_“See, I have a son who is strong and is set to rule my nomads. Our lifestyle is not tantalizing to other nomads and their daughters,” the violent man started. “They had nothing I could hold over them, but you have your mother.”_

_BamBam stepped back after escaping the grip of the two guards, helping his mother to her feet. He tensely looked up at Jae-suk. “What are you implying?”_

_A sharp, blood-thirsty smirk split his face in two. “You marry my only son when I die, and I let your mother live. And do not think you will be able to get out of this agreement. I will have someone watching you for the rest of your days.”_

_“And if I change my mind when I get older?” BamBam dared to ask._

_The man stood and gripped the boy by his hair. “Then you get to pick which of my men disembowel you after we burn your mother alive.”_

_“BamBam, sweetie, don’t do it!” his mother cried behind him. “Don’t sell your heart to this man’s child.”_

_“Silence, Mother!” he yelled, holding in tears. Her sobs tortured him, but he kept trying. “I’ll accept your terms in exchange for my mother’s life.” His heart broke even more as he heard the shaky sobs of his mother, his only family._

_Jae-suk smirked once more before letting go of the boy. “You are protective and loyal, young prince. My son would be happy to have you.” With one last sickening look, he left the palace. The last bit of bravery the teenage boy had shattered. He sobbed on his knees, the blood seeping into his white trousers. He’d sold himself._

“Mother, please don’t cry,” BamBam said. “We knew this would have to happen.”

The queen shook her head. “No, it shouldn’t have to happen. If I had been stronger, you wouldn’t have to trade your life for mine.”

“Stop saying that, Mother. I made this agreement, and I will honor it,” he sighed, kneeling to look at her face from where it was resting in her hands. “The upside is that he is dead, Mother. He can no longer terrorize us.”

“At what cost? My only child will live so far from me.” BamBam nodded, sadness burying itself deep within his heart. He wished things could be different, but there was no way he could change this. Come tomorrow, he would be a nomad’s husband.

* * *

 

The many servants within the castle scrambled to clean in the month following the announcement. At the order of their Prince, they would scrub the castle spotless and ready any rooms for the arrival of the nomadic leader and his generals. The best seamstresses had been called in to make him wedding garments and shoes. New sheets were made for the marital bed.

They were soft to the touch. It made BamBam sick.

The only person BamBam felt safe talking to was his childhood friend, Yugyeom. Yugyeom had been taken in by a family that worked in the castle. The boy soon became the prince’s companion appointed by the King. As small toddlers, the boys were terrors together and formed a strong bond that would carry on into their young adulthood.

“The day has come, hasn’t it?” Yugyeom asked one night. It had been a month into preparations before Yugyeom had returned from college himself. He’d been greeted by a crying prince that choked out words of anguish and doom.

BamBam nodded, “I don’t understand. I’ve known this would happen for years, but I still can’t believe it. It’s really happening.”

Yugyeom slung his arm around the other’s shoulder. “What will you do? You have to honor the agreement. What will become of you after?”

“I leave with him,” the prince sighed. “The kingdom would go up in flames if we would stay. His men would terrorize the people, and that would be it for us.”

“And an heir?” Yugyeom asked. “You are an only child. Who will rule the kingdom after your mother passes?”

The breath caught in his chest. He hadn’t thought about an heir all those years ago. He only wanted to save his mother from being murdered. Now, he may have doomed his kingdom after she was gone.

A hand slipped into his and held on tight. “Don’t worry about that now. I am sorry for even bringing it up.”

“No, you’re right. Someone has to take over when she is gone,” BamBam sighed. “That may mean that I have to move back here with my husband and his clan.” A sick feeling settled in his stomach. _Husband._ The word sounded so dirty now.

Yugyeom turned the other man into his arms and hugged him. He was shaking ever so slightly, and it broke his heart. The once happy young man was now in fear for his life, family, and kingdom. Nothing seemed right anymore.

“I’ll promise you,” he whispered into BamBam’s ear. “If we can convince the new Lord Im, I will go with you. I’ll make sure he never harms you.”

“You would do that,” the prince whispered, almost speechless at the noble offer.

Yugyeom pushed him away just enough to look him in the eyes. “Of course, BamBam. You are like my brother and that means I will be your protector in the toughest of times.”

A tear slipped down BamBam’s face. He launched himself into his best friend’s arms. “Bless you, Yugyeom. Bless your heart,” he muttered in his chest.

Yugyeom smiled, but it didn’t reach his eyes. He was content with the slightest bit of happiness that bloom so bright in BamBam’s eyes, but he would learn the truth soon enough. He just hoped he would be forgiven.

* * *

 

The tense atmosphere in the castle left everyone on edge. When not with his mother or the wedding planners,BamBam would seclude himself to the greenhouse behind the castle. His father had grown it when he was just born. His mother couldn’t set foot in there without sobbing, so he took up the mantle of cleaning and maintaining it. No one was allowed in his father’s garden.

The inevitable had been delayed for long enough. One evening, after the many fittings and meetings, he settled inside the greenhouse, pulling up weeds and clearing away any debris. He watered the plants and groomed them before planting more seeds. His mind had been taking off his impending wedding by the feel of dirt running through his gloved hands.

A voice sounded from outside the plastic walls. “My Prince, the nomads have arrived. Your mother requests that you change out of your clothing and into your royal garments.” BamBam sighed and waved the servant away. The man went without another word, leaving the young prince to think for the moment.

 _You knew this was coming. Why are you so sad?,_ he berated himself. He shook his head and took off the gloves and apron. He neatly folded and stacked them before returning them to the locked box his father had.

Instead of returning through the gate from the greenhouse to the back halls of the palace, BamBam cut through the fields and to the steps that led to the main gates. At the front he could easily see many men and their horses. They conversed loudly, prickling BamBam’s temper further. Could they not be respectful on his land? Could they not hear each other when they are packed so tightly together?

Shaking the nagging feeling of anger, the prince kept moving up the steps until he met the mounted men. The loud, rumbling conversations ended once one horseman had alerted all of them to his presence. Taking the reins of their horses, they parted a path for him to walk through.

 There weren’t that many steps, but it felt like he was climbing a mountain as he strode through. He kept his eyes facing forward, not allowing his eyes to stray towards the people that would become his subjects as soon as he married their leader. The thought sicked him more and more as he got closer to the gates.

It wasn’t too long before BamBam stood before the doors. Two nervous guards spared him glances before turning back to the nomads. He nodded his head before waving his hand. They opened the gates for him to pass through.

On the other side was a young man in clean leather armor with a helmet tucked under his elbow. The man spoke with his mother. BamBam was surprised to not see fear on her face.

“Oh, there he is,” she smiled at him before taking his hand. “This is my son, BamBam. BamBam, love, this is Im Jaebum.”

The prince looked at the man again. Now that he could see the front of his face, he could gauge him. His face had a blank look. His eyes were the only expressive part of him, seriousness hardening them. BamBam’s breath caught in his throat. His hand shook in his mother’s palm. She squeezed them once.

“It is a pleasure to meet my future spouse,” Jaebum greeted, bowing before the prince. His face was still the same when he came up. It made BamBam even uneasy.

His mother smacked him lightly on his lower back, and he remembered his manners. Crossing his right leg behind his left, BamBam bowed relunctantly.

“The pleasure is all mine. Welcome to our kingdom.”

Jaebum bowed to him and returned the sentiment. He smiled at the Queen, and Kunpimook could now see that he was very handsome. His charm could make anyone shed their clothing, but the prince would not be so swayed. He held onto the anger of being forced to marry someone he did not know well.

The Queen spoke up. “May we speak alone in the meeting room. It is better if we handle a serious matter like marriage amongst only ourselves.” BamBam nodded and turned to walk to the massive double doors that sealed off the meeting room. He did not wait for his mother or even his future husband. He nodded for a guard to open the doors.

The prince heard his mother’s steps. “Do not be so rude. This is not ideal, but this is what must happen.” He swallowed hard and nodded at her harsh whisper. She softened and petted his black hair.

After the three entered the room and were seated at the long table that cut down the center, the guards outside closed the door. All guards and weapons were left by the door. Both sides had orders to not antagonize their counterparts while the meeting was in session.

Kunpimook cleared his throat. “I suppose you know of the “agreement” your father and I had reached.”

Jaebum nodded, “He told me what was expected when he had returned to our campsite. We are to be married.”

“What would be the arrangement?” the Queen asked. “Would you remain in our kingdom or would you leave with my son?”

“I’m afraid we cannot remain within this kingdom’s boundaries. Hostility between our people is still fresh after all these years. It would be a massive oversight to allow anymore clashes to occur,” the nomadic leader replied. “Your son would move with me, but we would return during the holidays, so he can celebrate them in his home.”

The proposal was unusually nice. In past unions between two hostile kingdoms, whoever hand the upper hand would take their spouse from home and not return with them. Usually, it ended with one spouse either dead by their lover’s hand or cast out to die. The simple fact that BamBam could return home was shocking.

BamBam could feel the happy relief radiate off his mother. “Oh, thank you, Lord Im. You have no idea how happy that makes me.” She took the lord’s hands into her smaller palms.

“I know what kind of man my father was; there is no reason to lie about that. However, I will do my best to protect your son while he is outside of your borders and with my family. I promise that.”

The two men heard her sniffle loudly and watched her shake with her long repressed grief. BamBam stood and hugged her to his chest. Gone was the small boy that threw himself between his mother and a sword; he was an engaged man.

Turning his gaze to his future spouse, BamBam glared at him. The man did not turn his eye away from the prince but instead held the gaze. There was no telling what was going through his head. Even if he knew, BamBam did not trust him.

“I have one request before we are to marry,” BamBam said. “May I please ask?”

Jaebum nodded, “Please. Speak your mind.”

BamBam  requested, “I do not believe I will be able to adjust easily to my new home without some sort of memory of my own. That being said I request that my servant, Yugyeom, come with me.”

The lord seemed to consider the request carefully. It made the prince uneasy and sick to his stomach with anxiety.

“I’ll allow it. I want you as comfortable as possible,” Lord Im answered.

Despite the small victory, BamBam did not trust his husband-to-be. He still felt the strong, violent aura of his father. The prince remembered the sneer and lust of either a sexual or murderous nature. The lord could force a man to believe that he was nothing more than a mutt. There was no way a child raised in such a violent environment could not be violent themselves.

BamBam refused to fall for his charms. He would fight until his final breath. This man was not his husband; he was his captor.


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Here is another chapter. Between school, studying, and getting the proper sleep to maintain my mental health somewhat, I worked on this chapter. Bit by bit, I got it done, and I spent the better of five hours editing.
> 
> I will be out of town this weekend until Sunday night. Where I am going has no Wi-Fi connection or a computer, so I won't be writing until Monday afternoon or later.
> 
> Please enjoy this chapter!

The seamstresses circled around him, putting him in his suit and preparing his veil. BamBam felt a bit overdressed to be going to his own funeral. Of course, he wasn’t dying, but as soon as he became an Im, he was as good as dead. Goodbye to his Mother, his home, and the university.  His life was no longer his own, but it would then belong to the lord.

Yugyeom was fixing his own sleeves, as he watched them dress his best friend. He looked so handsome in the traditional attire, but he wished it wasn’t for this occasion. He audibly sighed, bringing the prince out of his thoughts.

“What is on your mind?” BamBam asked. “Come on. Say what you need to.”

Yugyeom stopped for a beat before waving the seamstresses away. Now that he would be leaving with BamBam, he was no longer a servant and had authority over them. Before the final seamstress could leave, he had her hand him the veil that would cover the prince’s face until the kiss. He took the sheer fabric of gold, the final touch, and pressed the clip in.

“Have you considered running?” he asked, running his hand over the veil one last time before raising it to the prince’s hair. “We still have enough time before the ceremony begins.

BamBam raised his eyebrow. “What are you on about? I cannot run from my duty.”

Yugyeom clipped the fabric in his hair and shook his head. “Yes, you can. If we run now, we can be on the next carriage to your university and then hide out there for a day or two. Then you would be free.” He pulled the veil over his friend’s eyes just before his hands were slapped away. He was forced back into a nearby vanity by BamBam’s push. His eyes were round with shock from the sudden show of force.

“Are you fucking serious?” the prince sneered. “I cannot run away. No one knows what Lord Im would do to my mother if I don’t honor my side of the agreement. I might as well slit her throat myself if that were the case.”

“BamBam, please-“

“No, Yugyeom! I cannot leave my mother and kingdom to die!” BamBam yelled. “Why do you want me to leave so bad? What do you really want to tell me?”

“I want you safe. That’s all I want for you,” Yugyeom answered. “Even if I am with you in God knows what abandoned territory he drags us through, you will still be miserable.”

Yugyeom forced himself not to flinch at his lie. BamBam hasn’t seen through him just yet, but he was so close to getting the truth. He wanted to run because he wanted his friend safe, yes, but his own betrayal would be put out there. Kunpimook would never forgive him for his lie.

BamBam softened and sighed. “I know you want what is best for me, Yugyeom. I am thankful that you care so much, but now it is too late. I can’t turn back now. I have to keep my promise.”

The other man sighed and nodded his head in defeat. He opened his arms and drew BamBam in for a comforting hug. “Okay. We’ll see this through. Just know that through everything, I love you so much. You are the most important person in my life, and I would do anything to protect you.”

BamBam pulled away slightly with a sweet smile on his face. “I know you would. I would do this same thing for you.” Yugyeom smiled at him, the truth slipping away once again.

A knock pulled them out of their embrace. The Queen peaked in and a smile warmed her face. “Oh, BamBam.”

“Mother,” the prince smiled softly. He let her take his hand and twirl him around. Tears filled her brown eyes. “Oh, Mother. Please do not cry. It always breaks my heart to see you in tears, and I’m a sympathetic crier.”

The Queen chuckled and shook her head. “When you weren’t even born yet, your father and I imagined what your wedding would look like. Nothing we could think of will ever top reality,” she beamed, her voice cracking.

The prince hugged her and drew her into his arms. “Mother, I will be fine. I promise you.”

She breathed a wet laugh. “I used to not believe you. I was so scared for your life for the first month, and then Lord Im let Yugyeom go with you. It took so reassurance, but I know you will be safe.”

A fist tightened around Yugyeom’s heart. He didn’t feel worthy of such an intimate moment. It made him sick and angry that this was what the people he loved had to go through. This all happened because of mindless loyalty. Now, mother and son would suffer and be apart.

_What have I done?_

* * *

 

The wedding was a spectacle. Royalty from the surrounding kingdoms and some classmates came to see BamBam married off to a lord. There were looks of pity, and people that romanticized the whole occasion, ignoring the context of the arrangement.

“This is so romantic,” one guy said. The prince remembered him from his medicine class. “He’s getting married and swept off his feet before our eyes. He has to be so in love.”

If only the poor idiot knew what was really happening, he wouldn’t be so quick with his tongue. It was a rule of etiquette to not tell the citizens about the marital arrangements the royals. It was to keep the idea that all marriages were happy in these families. It was one big lie.

As the vows came and went, BamBam’s stomach turned. The kiss was the most dreadful part of the ceremony. He didn’t even want to be near Lord Im let alone kiss him.

“You may now kiss your spouse,” the pastor said. Jaebum lifted the veil and revealed BamBam’s tanned face. His eyes had just the slightest shimmer of gold and red, like his wedding suit. His brown eyes were shaking in fear.

The lord cupped his face and closed the gap between them. He kissed his husband softly and held onto that chaste lip lock. The younger man went as stiff as a board. There was nothing he could think of to make him zone out and ignore the fact that he was kissing the son of his father’s murderer. He didn’t have time to relax himself before loud applause and whistles scared him out of his internal monologue.

It was done. He was Kunpimook Im. He was a nomad’s husband.

Rice and flowers were tossed on the newlyweds as they made their first walk together as a couple. A fake smile was plastered on the young prince’s face. Well wishes and pats on the back made his skin crawl. He was itching to get alone so he could yank his hand from Jaebum’s firm grip.

The guests rushed to the door to watch them stride down the stairs to where a carriage waited for them. They got in and waved one last time before the horses neighed and began a soft gallop. BamBam pulled off his veil and dropped it on the carriage floor. He let out a burdened sigh.

“Are you alright?” Jaebum asked, finally speaking to him after a whole day of being so close to one another.

“I’m fine,” BamBam lied. “Do not worry about me.”

The lord nodded. “You don’t have to lie. We are not in front of the royals and your classmates. You can be honest with me.”

“Could I really?” BamBam snapped. “How should I feel so honest with someone I am only marrying after only just meeting? Matter of fact, why ask such a stupid question if you already knew the answer?”

“I wanted to hear it from your mouth, but I guess that is not an option,” Jaebum responded, not flinching under the malicious glare. “You will have to trust me at some point. You can trust no one once we are moving from place to place.”

“I can trust Yugyeom,” BamBam retaliated. “I will only feel safe with him. He would protect me as I would protect him.”

Jaebum turned and looked carefully at the young prince. “Are you so sure about that, dear husband? I know all too well that the closest people to us aren’t always like our romanticized views of them.”

The lord turned away without another word. The younger man was left at a loss for words. What did he mean? The only person he trusted more than his own mother was Yugyeom. They’ve known each other since they could barely talk.

It was nothing but a mind game. Lord Im was only messing with him.

Right?

* * *

 

After the loud formal reception had wound down, the couple was split up. They were sent to separate bedrooms to be cleaned by handmaidens for their first time in the marital bed. The rooms were located in a wing far from the royal and servant quarters. Privacy was necessary.

Handmaidens ran a hot bath for BamBam to be bathed in. A soap of milk and honey was run all over his pink skin and was scrubbed into every pore on his body. Two other handmaidens shaved his legs and his pubic area until they were smooth. He was to smell sweet and enticing to his husband, a notion that made him sick and angry at the same time.

He was sprayed under soft pressure to remove what was left of the soap from his body. Another group of hands dried him before sitting him in front of a vanity and leaving. One of the handmaidens stayed to comb his damp hair out. She patted it as dry as possible before pulling his arms through a black silk.

She slipped out, shutting the door behind her and leaving him alone. He sat down, staring down at his body. It had filled out after puberty. Many people had desired him for long legs, full lips, and tanned skin. It was all on display in the dark silk garment. He had no other garments on. Once his husband arrived, he was to be ready for his touch and cock.

A glass jar glittered in his peripheral vision. He knew that it was filled with enough slick for their first night and morning together. A bitter, acidic taste settled onto his tongue. It was an all too familiar feeling of dread and sickness.

The door squeaked as Lord Im walked in. His body was covered in a thicker robe made of silk, pearls, and tight embroidery. Seamstresses had worked day and night with only breaks to eat, drink, sleep, and use the restroom. The lord closed the door behind him and sat down next to his husband. He made to hold his husband’s hand, but it was pulled out of reach.

“May we get it over with?” BamBam asked. The prince stood in front of his seated spouse. He loosened the tie holding his robe up and dropped it to the ground. His heart fell into the deep pits of stomach. The lord looked at his lithe, nude body with such careful eyes. He felt like livestock in the market, being inspected to see if it would even make it to the butcher or just be put down.

“Dress yourself,” Jaebum ordered. “We will not do anything tonight.”

BamBam didn’t think twice to dress, but he was still skeptical. “Why? It is our wedding night.” _What are you planning?_

“We are not having sex if we are not both consenting,” the lord reiterated. “It is best if we sleep tonight and act as if we did consummate our marriage.”

The prince snorted. “Don’t act soft now. I can see through that façade. You are just waiting until we get off of the kingdom’s land before showing your true colors,” he bit out. A smirk came over his face as he taunted some more. “How funny would it be to hear your men speak of how their lord could not bed a simple prince?”

Jaebum stood up swiftly. “Is that what you want then? Do you want me to force myself on you?! I would be the monster you have been waiting and searching for! Then you will have a reason to hate me and everything I do!”

The prince froze before turning to the lord and snarling, “You will always be a monster to me, Lord Im. It will take a lot more than nice words before I believe you to be anything otherwise.”

“You only search for the bad in everything about our marriage.”

“This isn’t a marriage; it is a fucking peace treaty!”

The room went silent after the brief screaming match. They stared at one another for a moment. The thick tension settled in the air and choked them both.

Lord Im sighed, “At least you are honest now. No amount of lying can conceal true thought and intentions.”

BamBam glared and shook his head. The fuming prince yanked open a drawer in the vanity to find a night shirt and underwear. He pulled them on before storming back into the bed room and blowing out the candles burning bright on the bedside table. The duvet was lifted, so he could crawl in. He untied the sheer divider and let it split the bed in half: one side for him and the other for Lord Im.

The young lord snorted and shook his head. The other side of the bed creaked and the duvet was once again lift. The candles were blown out, leaving the room totally dark except for the moon light through three windows.

“There is one thing we can agree on,” Jaebum finally said. “We can’t stand each other.”

BamBam drifted off soon after he spoke. For once, he had to agree.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I forgot to tell you, but I have a twitter that I use 24/7. I used to post everything and all things on my tumblr, but I have fallen out of that. If you want to follow me or like the same things I do, definitely go to my twitter @torichavonne99.
> 
> Note: Not all my posts are k-pop related. I do talk a lot about issues inside and outside of the fandom. I get very passionate, so that is something to watch out about.
> 
> As always, I love for people to give constructive criticism on my works (and, as always, straight bashing is not okay and will be deleted. If it persists from one person, then just push past, fam).
> 
> See you next chapter!


	3. Chapter 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I can explain why this is a week late. Last week was filled with projects, tests, and study groupchats, so school is very busy. Also, the Academic Bowl season starts in October, so updates will slow down around that time.
> 
> I would also like to thank everyone that has commented so far with encouraging words. It all motivates me to bring you better chapters and keep the story going! <3 <3 <3
> 
> I worked all this week on this chapter, editing it, and tweaking the storyline. Without anymore delay, here's the chapter!

 

The Queen waited patiently at the dinner table for her son and his new husband. Servants bustled around her, preparing plates in the kitchen and bringing them out to the dinner table. This would be the last meal she’d share with her only child until the holidays. In a week, he would be travelling through lands they had only seen in storybooks. She feared for his wellbeing and life.

Yugyeom silently stepped into the doors. He noticed the queen sitting alone and slowly approached her. In her hands was a bouquet of white lilies with their stems wrapped in fine white lace and tied with a silk ribbon. He stepped behind her and cleared his throat.

Initially startled out of her own thoughts, the Queen calmed down. She smiled softly and accepted them with a peck on his cheeks. “These look lovely, Gyeomie. Thank you.”

“I just thought you would need some cheering up,” the young man smiled. “I asked one of the gardeners to pick the best lilies they had. One of the seamstresses let me have some lace and ribbon.”

“Thank you for thinking of me and bringing me these beauties,” the Queen weakly smiled. “I can’t stop thinking about next week. For the first time, I won’t see you or my son’s faces in the mornings. I won’t hear him bustling around the castle. His room will be empty.”

She wiped a tear that had escaped down her cheek. Yugyeom got down to his knees so he could wrap his arms around her from where she was sitting. He felt her shake with the force of her own sobs. Her wet cheek pressed against the should of his uniform. Her sniffles were loud in his ear.

“Please don’t think like that. We aren’t going to be gone forever. You’ll see us again,” he said, trying to sooth her worries. “The next holiday will be in five months. We won’t be too far away, so we could return.”

“I know that, but I don’t really believe it,” the Queen replied. “He made so many promises, but what is stopping him from keeping them? Once he is out in the territories, I have no control over him. He can do what he pleases.”

Yugyeom swallowed hard and shook the sick feeling in his stomach. “I don’t know what the future holds either, but please know I would do anything to protect your son. I refuse to let harm come to him.” He gave her his handkerchief.

The Queen took it and dabbed at her eyes. “I know. I’m counting on you to take care of each other. Promise me again that you will watch my boy, and you will protect each other.”

Yugyeom smiled and kissed her hand. “I promise I will let no harm come to Kunpimook. I will protect him to my last breath.”

The Queen kissed his cheek and hugged him “Thank you so much, Gyeomie. I love you, dear boy.”

Yugyeom beamed, but the sick feeling was back again. _How long will I lie to you both?_

* * *

 

Yugyeom sat in the empty library, flipping through his final school paperwork. He would send it off to the president’s office and officially withdraw from the school. He wouldn’t be able to attend if he was moving through the territories. Plus, the truth about his father would come out. He would be a walking target for the many family members of his father’s victims.

It would be a death sentence to announce he was the son of warlord Im Jae-suk. He would be tortured and killed slowly if they knew he was spying on the royal family.

“You finally get around to doing your work?” a deep voice asked. Yugyeom froze and turned to see Jaebum standing over him. He was in his pajamas still, and his hair was gel free. He smiled softly at the young man. It was unsettling to see him comfortable and stress-free.

 _Is that what spending every night with Kunpimook felt like?_ he wondered to himself.

“Kunpimook doesn’t want to be left alone nowadays, so I kept putting this off to be with him,” he answered. “What do you need?”

“Why would he not want to be alone?” the lord asked.

Yugyeom looked him in the eye. “He’s afraid of what you would do to him when no one is watching.” It left the older man in silence for a moment before he could find words again

“What are you going to tell him, Yugyeom?” Jaebum asked. “When are you going to tell him the truth?” The young man looked up from the paperwork and set his quill in the stand. He put the cap on the ink and shook his head. His fingers pinched the bridge of his nose.

“I haven’t figured out what to do yet,” the young servant answered. The lord sighed and took a seat across the table. He crossed his hands on the table and leaned back.

“I don’t think it will be a good idea to leave without telling him,” Jaebum answered. “The long journey will give him time to forgive you, but in the camp, you won’t be able to avoid him.”

“He won’t forgive me,” Yugyeom responded. “I betrayed his trust. I’ve been lying to him for years.”

Jaebum took his hand, “You were just following father’s orders.”

“His orders,” the blond snorted. “The bastard is dead. His orders stopped meaning anything to me a long time ago. In fact, I don’t even know what he looks like.”

The older brother got up and circled around the table. He stared at his younger brother and tilted his head. Yugyeom didn’t dare turn to look at him. The older sibling had a way of reading someone’s feelings just by their gaze. Noticing that his brother was avoiding revealing his true feelings, Jaebum raised his eyebrows.

The nomadic lord raised his eyebrow, “Don’t tell me you fell in love with the prince.”

“So what?”

“So _what_?” Jaebum repeated. “You have feelings for my husband. You have feelings for someone you were only meant to spy on. You took the mission too far.”

Yugyeom stood swiftly, knocking his chair back. “You don’t even love your husband! Why are you so offended by the idea that I actually hold good intentions for him? What are your intentions, dear brother? Force him to sit back while you fuck the other concubines?”

“What kind of brother falls in love with his older brother’s spouse, Yugyeom?” Jaebum gritted, ignoring the jab at their father’s predilection for sleeping with every concubine until they were pregnant. Yugyeom and Jaebum weren’t the only Im children. The other four brothers were at their current settlement south of the kingdom.

“What kind of brother allows his baby brother to be used as a strategic pawn?!” Yugyeom spit. He turned to storm towards the door. Jaebum tried to stop him and grabbed his wrist. The younger man yanked his wrist out of his grip.

“What was I supposed to say to him, Yugyeom? Was I supposed to tell father no?” Jaebum asked. “We’d both be dead.”

“Yet you continued to use me for your gain even after he was killed,” Yugyeom countered. “Tell me, Jaebum. Was I ever a brother to you or just the son of his only concubine?”

The servant turned on his heels and stormed out of the doors of the library. He only stopped once he was out the door. Without turning around, he said his peace.

“With a father like Im Jae-suk, we’d be better off dead.” He was silenced by the ominous slam of the library doors. The lord stared at the doors long after he was gone. He dropped into a chair and remained there for a moment. Taking in every bit of their tense and heated exchange, he sighed and shook his head.

“Dammit,” he finally cursed. What was he going to do about his husband and brother?

* * *

 

_Yugyeom was born in the desert to a concubine of Im Jae-suk. She was a sweet woman with tan skin and black hair. She nurtured and cared for him until he was two months old. His tiny body was then ripped from her loving arms and wrapped in a crude blanket. A note was written in messy scribe and pinned to the blanket._

_A general in traditional garb of the Bhuwakul’s country smuggled him into the borders. He left the tiny baby with a sympathetic family that had been spying on the royals since their prince had been born. The note only helped to convince the King and Queen that the baby had been abandoned. Too soft to say no to an innocent and fragile life, they allowed the young boy to be raised with their little Kunpimook._

_“Yugyeomie!” the little prince cried, running as fast as his little legs could take him. He hit the boy’s chest and fell backwards onto his butt. “Woah, you’ve gotten bigger.”_

_Yugyeom helped him up and brushed him off. The prince grabbed his hand and dragged him to the nearby wall. He looked at the little numbers and markings on the wall. “No way! You are taller than you were a month ago.”_

_“Yep! Mama says it’s because I’ve been eating all my vegetables and being a good boy,” Yugyeom beamed. Actually, his “Mama” said it was because his biological father was a tall man of 6’3’’. The boy knew he wasn’t the man that raised him (he barely reached his mother’s shoulder himself). He never knew either of his parents. He just knew a mission._

_“Listen carefully, Yugyeom. You will be called Kim Yugyeom in this castle but always know that you are an Im. You have a mission your father entrusted you with: make sure the prince trusts you enough. You get a leader to trust you, you own his kingdom.”_

_It had been drilled into his head ever since he was one years old, and now that he was ten, it had become a nagging mantra in the back of his head. He still didn’t fully understand its implication, but he followed it because his father said so._

_“Hey, Gyeomie,” Kunpimook asked, big brown eyes staring up at the boy. “Mama is making her famous jam with some cooks. Do you want to go get a jar for your home?”_

_He smiled at his friend and ruffled his hair, “Sure thing. I hope she made biscuits, too. I want to taste it now.”_

_The prince giggled and took off “Last one there doesn’t get a whole biscuit.” He laugh carried and bounced off the walls of the whole castle. Yugyeom narrows his eyes playfully and took off after him._

_They both slowed down before reaching the kitchen doors. The Queen had scolded them many times before about running in a place filled with hot stoves and sharp knives._

_They walked in to see the Queen by herself, cutting up some cherries and strawberries. She wiped the sweat from her brow with the back of her wrist and turned when the door squeak. She beamed at the boys. “Well, look at you two boys. I guess you heard about the jam.”_

_“Yes, Your Majesty,” Yugyeom said, wrapping his left ankle around his right ankle and bowing. The Queen waved it off._

_“None of that when it is just us. It’s just ‘ma’am’, alright?”_

_The boy nodded swiftly and smiled. The Queen returned the smiled and beckoned them forward. “Come here. I knew you were coming, so I asked the maids to get extra fruit for you both to share.” She held out two bowls of peaches, cherries, and strawberries._

_The boys walked to her and took the bowls. They sat in the chairs around the counter and watched her finish the jams. She then entertained them with songs until they were done with the treats._

_These memories made up Yugyeom’s life. The mentions of his father and fruits cut by a queen were regular moments. He wishes he could keep these memories, but not everything was meant to last._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Comments are dope, and I love constructive criticism ya'll. (As always, hate won't get you anything but a deletion.)
> 
> Thank you and see you next chapter!


	4. Chapter 4

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Lies blow up in Yugyeom's face.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello, everyone! I'm finally back with this chapter and this has to be my favorite so far. Probably because it has been thoroughly planned which I usually don't do with any of my fics.
> 
> The whole fic is planned actually and that should help me keep going at a better pace.
> 
> Starting Monday, I will have ACE matches on Mondays. I will not be able to write during those times and now that most of my major tests are out of the way, I can take more time to focus of this fic and my responsibilities on the team.
> 
> Here is the chapter! I hope you enjoy.

Kunpimook held his mother’s hand as they walked towards the palace doors. Today was the long dreaded day. The young prince would now be a concubine to the nomadic leader of the most feared tribe in the lands. They were to set out to the border of the unclaimed territories and make their way back to the temporary camp site Jaebum has created before he came to the kingdom.

“Do you have everything? Your pajamas, jewels, _your ring?”_ she had asked the prince. “I know you haven’t been wearing it, but now, it has to be on your finger.”

“I have it all, Mother,” Kunpimook confirmed. “It’s all here.”

A silence fell over them. It was too awkward to say goodbye. It sounded too final and absolute. They would see each other again, but even with the confirmation from Lord Im himself, that didn’t seem possible.

“Oh, I thought this was all some bad dream,” the Queen sighed. “I thought the charade would end, and I would wake up to your bright face.”

Kunpimook replied, “I would be lying if I said I never thought of it, too, Mother. I stayed up for many nights before the wedding wondering when someone would end this cruel joke.”

The bounding of boots against the marble floors hushed them. It was a clear sign that this goodbye was coming to its own end. Lord Im and the few men he allowed to stay after the wedding was approaching. Following close behind was Yugyeom. He was in his formal wear and carrying a single bag of clothing.

“Your Highness,” Jaebum greeted, pressing his heels together and bowing. His men dropped to their knees and looked down. They did not get back up.

“Lord Im,” she smiled almost resentfully. She and her son crossed their right legs behind the other and bowed themselves. “It is sad to see you all leave so soon.”

“My Queen, we have overstayed our welcome, and I deeply miss my brothers and my home,” Jaebum smiled. He took her hands into his broad palms. “I will make sure your son is well taken care of and treated as a husband worthy of so much love should be.”

 _Worthy of so much love?_ Kunpimook thought to himself, his brow creasing in confusion. Something stirred inside of his chest that he couldn’t place. It could be anxiety, fear, anger, or, God forbid, love. Like hell he was going to love someone that had taken his life away from him with a simple letter.

Yugyeom moved forward and kissed the Queen’s cheek. “Your Highness, I promise to watch over the prince until my last breath.”

The Queen’s first genuine smile spread across her lips. “I know, dear boy. No need to be reaffirming it.” Jaebum felt this bitter taste flood his mouth.

 _If the Queen only knew the truth, she wouldn’t be so trusting,_ he mused. _He’s the last person that needs to be entrusted with the prince’s safety._

Jaebum turned to see Kunpimook smiling at his younger brother. The bitter taste was now accompanied with an angry feeling. His own husband did not look at him that way, but this traitor is deeply loved by him.

* * *

 

The men took a week to make it to the unclaimed territories. They had to pass through neighboring countries that had very violent encounters with Im Jae-suk. The leaders should outright hostility towards the sons of the bloodthirsty villain and pity towards Kunpimook. They even snuck him food and small tokens as gifts for their marriage

Reaching the border was both a relief as well as a dreadful moment. The prince was no longer in a place where he could call for help. As soon as they passed the final border check, he was in Im territory and was subject to his will.

“Jaebum, stop the men. Kunpimook looks ready to pass out,” Yugyeom said, staring at the prince. His eyes were drooping, and he could no longer keep his head up and away from Jaebum. Exhaustion had settled into his bones.

“He can survive another mile to our camp site. If he is really tired, tell him to sleep,” Jaebum responded, not looking away from the horizon to address his brother. It pissed Yugyeom off to no end.

“You know he does not want to lay his head on your filthy shoulder,” he gritted between his teeth. “Just stop them long enough for us all to rest.”

Jaebum snorted, “And what? You think he would be content on your shoulder, little brother? Would he rest better then?

Yugyeom growled, “You know he would!”

“I know a lot, brother. Hold your tongue.”

“And you hold your men and stop to set up a fucking camp!”

Jaebum shot back, “I am your  lord, and you will respect my orders.”

“I have taken enough orders!”

Kunpimook slowly came back to reality. Exhaustion sat behind his eyes, but he was now aware of the argument. He kept his mouth shut and listened carefully, wanting to know what had made them so angry.

“Brother, watch your tone. You don’t want your little secret out, do you?”

 _Brother?_ Kunpimook mused. _There is no way._

Yugyeom fell silent for a second. “You would not dare tell him before I do.”

“What’s the point?” Jaebum taunted. “Once he knew you were meant to spy on the royals for father, it won’t matter who told him. He would hate us both.”

“You were sent for what?” Kunpimook gasped. The brothers stopped their horses and turned to him. His tired face was now replaced with an expression of fury and betrayal.

He hopped off the horse and stopped the man with a single hand. “Repeat what you just said.”

“Kunpimook, I-“

“Repeat what you just said!” he yelled back. “Do not patronize me.”

Yugyeom glared daggers into the side of his brother’s face. It was a new low for them.

“He said that I was sent to spy on you. I was the one father sent to watch you and make sure you held up the treaty,” he confessed. “I’m so sorry.”

Kunpimook was stunned and angry. He looked at Jaebum with such hatred; it made the leader regret ever opening his mouth.

“You…” he trailed off. “You fucking asshole. You son of a bitch. How could you?!” he yelled at Yugyeom. The other generals backed away from the furious prince.

“I’m sorry,” he repeated.

“Fuck your sorry! You held my life in your hands this whole time,” Kunpimook trembled. “I cried with you for two months before the wedding, and you were the reason why I had to cooperate.”

“I know, Kunpimook. It has been eating me up for so long.”

Kunpimook chuckled with no mirth. “Eating you up? Give me a fucking break. If it really ate you up so bad, why didn’t you tell me?”

“This! You would be reacting the same way you are now if I had told you the truth before. There was no way out.”

“You‘re wrong. See, I would be furious, but at least I would be able to forgive you. There would have been a chance we could have renegotiated or just run away,” Kunpimook seethed. “Now, I have no choice. I already have his ring on my finger. He’s already taken me from my home!”

Jaebum watched the fiery exchange in silence. He felt a sick sense of guilt in his stomach and wished he could take the confession back. He wish he had never made Kunpimook so angry and devastated.

“I loved you,” Kunpimook said. It drew the lord out of his daydream, and his eyes went wide. _They loved each other._

“I still love you,” Yugyeom responded.

Kunpimook sniffled, the initial anger now replaced with sad betrayal. “I don’t know. I don’t trust you anymore. I doubt that you ever loved me.”

The expression of defeat and hurt spread across Yugyeom’s face. Jaebum hadn’t seen him like this his whole life.

Kunpimook wiped his eyes on the edge of his robe. He turned to a general with a pleading look. “Can I ride with you?”

The general, feeling somewhat bad for the prince, nodded and helped him jump on. Kunpimook refused to look at the brothers.

The trip resumed, a strain feeling building in the air.

* * *

 

_Kunpimook and Yugyeom had been more than friends. They were each other’s first for everything. From first friend to first kisses, the most important moments of their lives happened together._

_“Where are we going?” Yugyeom asked. The prince had dragged him through the winding corridors of the castle to a long neglected wing. The man had a giddy look on his face but didn’t reveal the nature of what had him so excited and energized._

_“I found something in one of my classmates’ dorm room,” the prince grinned. He reached into his robe pocket and produced a jar. Its black coating meant only one thing to anyone that lived in the country. It was a jar full of lubricant._

_“Why did you take this?” Yugyeom finally asked. Kunpimook smirked and wrapped his arms around him._

_“Whenever we are ready to try anything with each other or someone else, I want the experience to be safe and comfortable,” he responded. “Besides, I was curious as to what it would feel like. My roommate wouldn’t miss this. He has a box full of them.”_

_The idea was planted into Yugyeom’s head. Kunpimook had trusted him with this little secret and now it was all he could think about. Had his friend experimented with himself before coming to him? The jar seemed pretty light and the seal was only half broken, so his roommate had not opened this one._

_Yugyeom’s first time wasn’t with the prince. It was with a maid and her future husband. It was an unusual way to be deflowered, but they were the only people that knew who he really was. They were the only people his family allowed to “date” him for fear his secret would be exposed. The reason for two people was simply to satisfy his need to know what sexual intimacy was like with either sex. Despite the harsh reality, he was still enthusiastic._

_His first time wasn’t terrible, but it felt so hollow. He knew they were only there to satisfy his curiosity. After they were done, the couple got up and left the young man alone. He curled in on himself and did not cry to his surprise. He just took what he was given and didn’t take it for any more than what it was._

_A year later, Kunpimook glides into his room with a smile. He’d met a boy on an overnight stay in another country. He’d taken him to bed and the boy had deflowered him._

_“Have you had sex yet, Yugyeomie?” he asked, batting his eyelashes and laughing. The childlike air around the prince made Yugyeom feel light headed and happy, and he only reminded himself right then to not tell the prince the truth._

_“No. Haven’t found the right one.”_

_Kunpimook patted his hand and leaned his head against his shoulder. “It’s okay. Whenever you find that right person and feel ready, go ahead. Not a minute sooner.”_

_That right person became the prince one cold December evening. They had walked to the same wing where Kunpimook had revealed his jar of lubricant to him. They found a clean room and took their time, carefully prepping each other and kissing._

_The moment was still clumsy and uncoordinated, but it was supremely better than the cold threesome from before. The giggles and moans filled the tiny room and filled the air with happy pheromones. After the sex was over, the moment lasted for hours. They told jokes and talked about their days and worried about nothing._

_As far as Yugyeom was concerned, as long as he lived, that one time in the empty wing of the castle was his first and only time._

* * *

 

Yugyeom lay in his tent. Dinner was tense and stilted. Kunpimook sat at the very edge of the group with his back turned to them. He wanted to warn him not to turn his back on any of these men, but that would imply that Kunpimook could still trust him and no one else.

It was apparent that it was not true.

The night had long settled over them, so Yugyeom could not write in the secret journal tucked away in his bags of belongings. He simply talked to himself about everything.

Despite everything they had been through, he had committed the most grievous betrayal. He helped rip Kunpimook from his mother and home and imprisoned him in a marriage with a man he did not know. The same man that had the nerve to call him brother.

“What better are you?” Yugyeom sighed to himself. He could not judge his brother when he did the same thing. He kept the same secret. He followed the same order. He had betrayed his friend.

Sitting up, he opened the tent and looked outside. Kunpimook sat near the low fire, his blanket wrapped around his slight shoulders. He had his back to Yugyeom and it took everything in his being to not call out to him.

Sighing, he once more settled back into his tent. He would accept his silence and hatred.

He deserved.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I am considering making this a series. It really depends on the response from this fic and how it will end.
> 
> As always, I love constructive criticism and bashing or rudeness is a no-no.
> 
> Love ya'll. See you next time!


	5. Chapter 5

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I know I am very late with this, but college applications and gathering all the stuff they request can suck the life out of you. Follow that up with having all your hardest, time consuming classes in one semester and here you go.
> 
> I wrote all of this today and edited it for two hours before deeming it decent enough to post. 
> 
> I hope you enjoy, and again, sorry for the long hiatus!

What seemed to be a week had passed since all the dirty laundry had been aired out. Kunpimook still refused to be near either of the brothers. Instead of sleeping next to his husband, he asked a general if he could stay with him. This general, Jinwoon, allowed him to stay with him out of sheer pity. They slept on the opposite sides of his large tent, barely speaking to one another.

The prince rode on his horse with him, still avoiding the brothers’ worrying eyes. Kunpimook would have to be extremely angry to trust one of the generals so swiftly.

The group was a few days out from their encampment when they noticed several horses. They were in a grassland, but horses had been a rare sight since people fled when the nomads came in. It could only mean one thing.

He was waiting for them.

“Stop your horses!” Jaebum ordered. He reared his horse back and hopped off of it. He kept his hand on his sword as he approached the horses slowly. “Keep your eye on our surroundings. He has to be here.”

“No need for such caution, Lord Im,” a deep voice sounded from behind them. “I am already here.” The men dismounted and turned around. They came face to face with the most dangerous nomad of them all, Park Jin-young. His men were still on their horses.

“Lord Park, what are you doing in the borderlands? All the nomadic tribes were under the impression that you were working out a treaty with the countries,” Jaebum asked, caution evident in his voice.

“I was,” the man replied. “Negotiations were cut short because of a royal event. A wedding, if I am correct? Would you know anything about that, Lord Im?” The evil man stared directly at Kunpimook, his eyes holding violent lust. The prince tensed before shying away behind Jinwoon. The general passed him a dagger.

Kunpimook trembled. If Jinwoon, a man he had only met at the wedding, would willingly give him a dagger behind his back, then this lord has to be dangerous.

Lord Park chuckled darkly, “It seems to me that it was your wedding they were all so eager to attend. Tell me, Lord Im. Will he be as beautiful a concubine as your mother and stepmother were?”

Yugyeom pulled a dagger from his belt and stormed towards the Lord. The only thing stopping him was a slender hand on his shoulder. Kunpimook’s hand.

He stilled and concealed the dagger once more. His blood continued to boil.

Lord Park chuckled out loud once more. “Your brother has fire in him. I like it.”

“Lord Park,” one of his generals called, “we must return to the kingdom. The messenger has brought word that they will agree to our terms.”

“It’s good to see royals actually use the brains they were given,” the lord sighed. “Very well. We head north.” He pulled on the reins of his horse and hopped on. Staring down at the young lord, he smirked.

“Until next time, Lord Im.” He kicked his horse and took off towards the North.

The tense air settled around them, choking the all with anxiety.

“Who was that?” Kunpimook asked Jinwoon, still clutching the dagger in his hand.

“That was Lord Park Jin-young,” the General responded. “He is the most dangerous nomad in recent history. He has slaughter whole tribes to retrieve resources from the lands they frequented and sold them off to the royals.”

“Why is he so fond of your tribe? You aren’t know for holding control over resources.”

“He’s our uncle,” Yugyeom finally spoke. “Our father’s illegitimate brother through his father and a royal.”

Kunpimook gasped, “A royal? How is that possible? The royal families have been trying to fight the nomads for centuries.”

“There is always a black sheep in the family, young prince,” Jinwoon replied. “It just so happens two of the met and had another child.”

“Enough talking!” Jaebum yelled. “We have to get out of this territory and to our camp. We don’t know if he is really leaving for the kingdoms.”

The men mounted their horses once more. They checked the area around them before taking off to the South. Kunpimook looked behind them and into the distance.

If all of what he heard is true, then he had more than Lord Im to worry about.

* * *

 

The sun was snuffed out like a candle. The men had created multiple small fires to warm them in the cold nights. Along the way, one of the men managed to kill a large animal, giving the company enough meet for the last two days of their trip. Despite the tense encounter with Lord Park, they were now in high spirits.

As the men consumed the beast, Kunpimook walked to the edge of the camp where the light faded into the dark night. He wanted to be alone after the frightful day they had.

Yugyeom approached him, keeping a safe distance for fear he was still angry enough to lash out.

“What do you want, Yugyeom?” the prince asked, not looking away from the dark horizon.

“To finally speak with you about what happened.”

“What could you possibly say to me? You got close to me to make sure I married your brother. Isn’t that all?”

Yugyeom sighed, “No. It never was just that for me.”

“Then what was it, Yugyeom?”

The man sighed, “You were my everything growing up. I remember you bringing me treats whenever I had to work all day and didn’t have time to eat. You would also take me into the throne room to play until your father’s assistant shooed us away. You shared everything with me.”

Kunpimook sniffled, “What does that mean now, Yugyeom? None of that was real.”

“It was all real. I knew my mission, but what child could fake that joy and love?” Yugyeom asked. “Every moment of tears and laughter was real. I meant every word and every action.”

“Then why?” Kunpimook cried. “Why didn’t you tell me the truth?”

“Even if I did, they would have still married you off. They would have just replaced me with another servant in the castle. I thought it was better for someone who cares about you to be there rather than a callous servant.”

The prince wiped his eyes. “I don’t know what to say. I want to forgive you so bad, but then I remember everything and I get so angry.”

“You don’t have to forgive me, BamBam,” Yugyeom responded, saying his childhood nickname. “I just wanted to say my peace.”

The prince sobbed into his hand, looking away from the man he used to know and love. Yugyeom walked away from the edge of the camp, leaving him to ponder.

He couldn’t forgive him just yet, but the talk had been long overdue. He didn’t feel as hollow as before.

* * *

 

The final morning before the nomads were to finally reach camp, Jaebum stopped Jinwoon as he packed up the last of his things. The general was almost done folding his tent and pushing it back into its leather bag. “Jinwoon, can I speak to you for a moment?”

“Sure, Jaebum,” he said. They stepped far away from the rest of the generals before finally speaking. “What do you need?”

“What should I do?” Jaebum asked.

“About what? The prince or Lord Park?”

“Both, I guess,” the lord sighed. “Kunpimook will not trust me, and Yugyeom hates me for revealing the secret. Lord Park has also made eyes at the prince and my brother. He wants to take them, I just know it.”

“As your General and peace liaison, I would try to speak to the both of them. There is no other way to reconcile with them,” Jinwoon answered. “As your friend, I would tell you to leave them alone until they are ready to approach you. You have done some shady shit since we entered unclaimed territory. There is no way you will reconcile after all of that.”

Jaebum sighed, “What about Lord Park? They are both in harm’s way, but if they refuse to listen to me, how can I protect them?”

“From the way Yugyeom was ready to kill your uncle, you will not have to worry about their safety. I even gave your husband a dagger for safety.”

“A dagger?! He could kill me!”

“He doesn’t even sleep in your tent. How would he kill you if he doesn’t want to be near you? Besides, you are the only person standing between him and certain servitude and death at the hands of Lord Park.”

Jaebum chuckled and pinched the bridge of his nose. “You are too harsh, General Jinwoon. Please spare my feelings.”

“We are too old to be mincing words, Lord Im,” he laughed. “You asked for my honest opinion, and I gave you just that.”

The men fell silent for a moment before Jinwoon stretched. “I have to go mount my stuff on the horse. Seriously, consider all your options before you try to approach either one of them.”

The general’s boots crunched the grass under his feet. Jaebum took a deep breath before turning around himself. He would have to swollen his pride and make amends. For their safety.

* * *

 

The nomads were relieved and tired. They could just see the outlines of their camp. The men, women, and children were all waiting for them, waving and holding pots of food. They yelled and cheered for their returned army.

“Boys, we are home!” Jaebum grinned as he kicked their horse to speed up. As they got closer and closer, the cheers and laughter got louder. Pulling on the reins of their horses, they stopped and jumped off. The children of the men ran and hugged their fathers and wives kissed their husbands. Jaebum was swarmed by four men, all messing with him.

“Welcome home, Jaebum!” a loud one with jet black hair yelled. “How was the trip?”

“Yah! Jackson, he is right here. You don’t have to yelled,” another glared, his brown hair pinned away from his face.

The two other men laughed at them arguing and hugged the lord. “They have been bickering like this since you left, brother,” the blond tisked. “They almost fought over the extra soup bone before Coco stole it.”

The brunet laughed, “They looked so heartbroken and refused to eat the soup until one of the women finally gave us one of hers.”

“Thanks you watching them, Mark and Youngjae. They are a rowdy pair,” Jaebum laughed. A hand came down on his head in retaliation.

“We are not that bad,” Jackson defended. His arms were wrapped tightly around Yugyeom, who tried to get used to the affection. He didn’t remember any of the brothers; he had only seen them in photos the spies would sneak to them before fleeing.

“Oh, Yugyeomie. Come to me!” Youngjae beamed before running towards him. He knocked him down on his back with a grunt.

“Are they always like this?” Kunpimook asked.

“Every single time,” Jinwoon grinned.

Mark approached them and hugged the general before turning to the prince. “You must be the prince, my brother’s husband. Welcome to our camp.” He bowed and took Kunpimook’s hand into his own.

“Thank you for the welcome,” Kunpimook replied, smiling weakly. The other brother’s took notice of him before swarming him.

“Wow, Jaebum! You didn’t tell me he would be handsome,” Jinyoung joked. “What are you doing with a bum like our Lord Im?”

“I heard that, asshole!” the lord yelled from where he was holding one of his general’s babies. He blew a raspberry into its fat cheeks, provoking a happy giggle.

“Yah! Language! You are holding a baby!” Youngjae admonished his older brother.

“Come on,” Jackson grinned. “We are a feast and if we don’t get there before the elder finishes cooking, she will be pissed.”

The young prince was dragged into the center of the village. Everything hit him like whiplash, but the brothers didn’t seem nearly as bad as he thought they would be.

 _Maybe there is some silver lining,_ Kunpimook sighed.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I love constructive criticism and I hope you all comment. Please give me a kudos if you enjoyed this chapter. It motivates me to keep up with this fic and write more stuff on the side. Expect a Jackson/Jooheon fic soon as a treat. Thank you all and see you in the next chapter!


	6. Chapter 6

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I passed this semester with a 95.5 while dealing with Calculus.... that's a fucking win if I've ever heard of one.
> 
> After a month and thirteen days, I finally post something. A lot of things have happened. I deleted Twitter and went back to Tumblr. I got accepted to my top college with a $28,000 scholarship, and I finally took control of my mental health.
> 
> 2016 still ain't shit though.
> 
> I hope you enjoy this chapter!

A week passed relatively fast. Kunpimook was adjusting well to his new home. Of course he avoided Jaebum and Yugyeom, but he became close to their brothers. He became especially close to Jackson. He was full of energy, and the young prince could not be sad in his presence.

Whenever Kunpimook wasn’t hiding from his husband or messing around with Jackson, he was training with Jinwoon. After riding with him through the unclaimed territories, the prince felt he could trust the man more than he could trust Yugyeom or Jaebum. The general made sure he knew how to use a dagger and sword easily and taught him basic hand-to-hand self-defense. With the Park Jin-young looming over them like a violent cloud, he needed to be ready for anything.

They didn’t believe the day would come so soon.

Kunpimook sat in Jinwoon’s tent and talked to him as the soldier sharpened his sword. He was supposed to sharpen the dagger the young prince now kept strapped to his thigh. His heart nearly jumped out of his chest when they heard a blood chilling scream. The pounding of hooves and rush of villagers pass the tent spurred them into action.

When he opened the flap, the prince immediately saw the bloody body of a village elder. Their skull had been split open, and a long arrow protruded from their back. Their eyes were still open with a permanent look of terror.

Kunpimook let out his own blood curdling scream.

Jinwoon pushed him back into the tent, “Stay in here! If you don’t hear me come back, you don’t come out. Am I understood?” Still looking at the mutilated body of the elder, Kunpimook nodded. The general didn’t wait for any other reaction; he had to fight to protect the other villagers.

Slowly, the young man stepped back into the tent. Another scream and the wet, sickening sound of a blade slicing into flesh startled him. He fell to his knees whimpering as tears slid down his cheeks. Fear gripped his heart.  Back home there were massive castle doors between him and the invading nomads.

Now all he had was a flap of a tent.

His heart once again kicked into flight mode when a figure ran into the room. His heart only calmed for a moment when he saw it was Yugyeom. In his right hand was a massive sword, and he offered his left hand to Kunpimook. He didn’t hesitate in taking it.

“You can’t stay in here anymore!” he said. “They are moving farther into the camp and will soon start to burn the place.”

“Burn it?!”

Yugyeom stopped for a moment. “I forgot the kingdom had never been attacked by Park Jin-young. Whatever they vandalize and don’t take is torched. People included.”

The pair rushed out of the tent and ran through the maze of shelters. They tried their best to avoid the bloody sand and limp, chilling bodies. It took everything for Kunpimook to not vomit.

Yugyeom fell with a groan, gripping his shoulder. The same large arrow that had pierced the back of the village elder had taken him down.

“Yugyeom!” he yelled. A hand tightened around his forearm and dragged him away from his lifelong friend. The prince struggled to fight and get away from the man, but he held onto him tight enough to bruise.

The archer fell onto his back, taking Kunpimook down with him. He yanked his forearm out of the now loose grasp and crawled backwards. A scream died in his throat as he stumbled into the legs of another person. _Damn, can I catch a break?_ He groaned.

He was yanked up by the collar, and for the first time in months, he was happy to see Jaebum. “Thank God, it’s you!”

“Where is Yugyeom?” Jaebum asked, ignoring the prince. The prince’s face went pale, and he turned on his heels and ran back to the burnt out tents. The nomadic leader ran after him but stopped once he saw his brother.

Kunpimook brought his head into his lap and cried. “Please, don’t die. Come on, Yugyeomie, you can’t die like this. Please don’t go!”

Jaebum stood behind him and waved over generals. Yugyeom wasn’t dead, but he would be if they didn’t get him to the healer’s tent. They would be able to treat him and the survivors of the ambush. That would buy him time to get Kunpimook to trust him for his own safety because he knew who did this.

He would come for the prince next.

* * *

 

Kunpimook sat by Yugyeom’s bedside. He held his hand and wiped his sweaty brow. He carefully watched and listened to the healers as they worked on his childhood friend and gave him instructions. The fear shook him to his very core and made his stomach churn with nausea.

The tent flapped sway open, and Jaebum walked in. He had his sword, but most of his gear was off. He didn’t even look at Yugyeom; he only stared at the tearful prince.

“May I talk to you outside?” he asked Kunpimook. The man looked at Yugyeom before kissing his brow and nodding. Jaebum looked away, an envious feeling gripping his chest.

Stepping out into the air, Jaebum pulled him behind the tent. He gripped Kunpimook’s hand and looked him into his eye.

“You are going to have to trust me now,” Jaebum said. “I know who attacked us, and I know he will be after you soon. That means you stay with me”

Kunpimook shook his head. “I can’t leave Yugyeom behind. I need to be there when he wakes up.”

“He won’t wake up before Park Jin-young returns. It would be a waste of time to wait on him in such a manner.”

“Someone needs to be with him. We can’t all just run and hide and leave him alone,” the prince gritted.

“No one is hiding! We are surviving,” Jaebum sneered. “Yugyeom is a big boy. He can take care of himself when he wakes up. Maybe this time, we won’t end up with an arrow protruding from his shoulder.”

“What is your problem?!” Kunpimook yelled. “Why are you so damn adamant on putting him down? Are you so damn pitiful that bullying your baby brother makes like a big man?!”

“No! I’m tired of watching my husband fawn over my baby brother like he’s married to him!”

“I wish I was married to him! Maybe I could actually stand the idea of being with him.”

“He lied to you,” Jaebum hissed.

“So. Did. You,” Kunpimook glared. The angry look pierced into Jaebum’s soul. He’d seen so much passion in this lithe man before, but nothing like this. The burning fire in his eyes showed he was not someone’s punching bag. He was a human being with feelings and had unfulfilled goals that were snatched away from him.

He was not going to be obedient.

Jaebum took his face into his hands and pulled him close. His lips pressed hard against the prince’s plush lips. He poured every little feeling he hand into the kiss before breaking the lip lock.

Kunpimook panted with wide eyes. He rubbed his lips to clear them of the kiss. He then lunged forward and slapped the leader. His head jerked to the side as the prince sneered.

“Screw you, bastard. Don’t ever touch me again.”

The prince stormed away, leaving an air of ager and confusion.

* * *

 

Another day passed before Kunpimook felt he could show his face again. He’d hoarded himself in Yugyeom’s tent, feeding and bathing the unconscious man. It was all to keep from thinking about what happened with Jaebum. He couldn’t imagine the reaction if they all knew about it. They hated each other, so why did he feel so much emotion in that one kiss?

“Kunpimook” a voice called. He turned and saw Jinyoung with his sword. “Come outside. We have to train you.”

“I can’t leave. Besides, Jinwoon has been training me to fight with the dagger.”

“That is only a dagger. These men had arrows and swords and dispatched a huge amount of our village. A simple dagger will not protect you now.”

The prince sighed and stood. He covered Yugyeom and pet his hair once more. They both left the unconscious man in the tent and stepped outside. The other brothers except for Jaebum were all waiting for them to come out.

“We are going to train you in hand-to-hand first. In a time where you lose your weapon or can’t wield one, it is imperative that you can disarm an enemy,” Youngjae said, giving his spear to Jackson. He rolled up his sleeves and cracked his knuckles. “Come to me and I will help your form before we really begin.”

Youngjae took Kunpimook’s waist into his hands. “If they are rushing you with a spear in a fight, spread your stance. Before they get a foot within range, decide which way you will side step, and within half a foot, take the step. Grab either the spear or the person by their neck from behind.”

Holding a hand out, Youngjae caught his spear in hand and stepped two feet away. “We’re going to run this through. If you fail to fight me off, I will say ‘dead.’ Try following through.”

Without any warning, Youngjae took off with the spear standing rigid in front of him. Kunpimook followed through with his side step, but the spear caught him in his shirt.

“Dead. Nice try though.”

“What?” Kunpimook panted. “How am I dead?”

“You didn’t decide well on how to side step? In fact, you weren’t fast enough either.”

Kunpimook raised his eyebrow, “Then what the hell am I supposed to do?”

“Not stand straight into the dominant side of your attacker. Look carefully at the hand on the top of spear. This is usually the dominant hand of the attacker,” Youngjae said, waving his spear to show his hand. “Even if we don’t notice it, humans always have a dominant side. We will usually use that side when doing almost everything even fighting to the death.”

Kunpimook sighed and nodded, “Can we try once more?” Youngjae smiled and ruffled his hair.

“Sure thing, kid,” he confirmed before moving back three feet. His right foot planted into the ground before he took off. He and his spear cut through the air with deadly precision. When he was within one foot of the prince, he hoped he would know the way to move. Half a foot, he had to force himself to keep moving and not worry.

Youngjae expected to hit fabric again but only managed to hit air. A grin spread over his lips and he slid to a stop. He didn’t expect a kick to his back before hitting the ground. A peel of laughter surrounded him before a hand was held out for him. He saw the apologetic face of Kunpimook and accepted the help.

“I guess we can move on, huh?” the man asked. Youngjae laughed and nodded.

There was potential in this prince after all.

* * *

 

Training went on for another three hours before the brothers found it okay to let Kunpimook go. It was close to night fall, and because there were so many injured people in the camp, dinner was earlier than usual. They sat in their usual spots, ignoring the empty seats throughout the camp. Families clung to their surviving members.

The sight of their grief forced Kunpimook to remember a long buried pain of his own. He finished his meal with a bad taste in his mouth before bringing his plate to the cleaning bin. He just wanted to be alone. Instead of sitting with Yugyeom like he was used to doing nowadays, he went to his own tent to process things.

So many changes happened in so little time. He was forced to adjust to a life of isolation before finally making some place for him in the village. It would only be fate’s sick design that the people he had come to care about would be brutally murdered by another enemy of the kingdoms.

The hot and cold behavior Jaebum was now fond of didn’t help either. It only made him even more confused. Did he really like Kunpimook, or was this yet another power struggle with his unconscious baby brother? Was he some tool of gain in his head?

The prince shook his head and lay down on his cot. He stared up through the hole the smoke of a fire escaped through He could see the glittering stars of the night and hoped they had some answer for him. They didn’t answer him.

Sighing and pulling the warm skin covers over his body, he rolled onto his side to stare at the tent. He would sleep it off the best he could.

Hopefully, he would actually sleep through the night.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I really hoped you liked this chapter and thank you all for the lovely comments and your patience.
> 
> I love to receive kudos and see comments. I have all my chapters planned and should be able to begin the next chapter before the end of my break and the beginning of my last semester of high school.
> 
> Thank you so much and I will see you next time! I hope you have a great Christmas (and if you don't celebrate Christmas, just have an awesome day <3 )


	7. Chapter 7

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Okay, let me start by saying sorry for not posting in three months. School picked up fast and furious now that there are only two months until graduation.
> 
> I have homework, projects, classes, and scholarships, and it is by sheer will that I got all that done and still have time to work on this.
> 
> It is under my usual 2000 word count but do not worry. The next chapter will be longer and should make up for this.
> 
> I hope you guys enjoy!

Yugyeom woke up a few days later. He had a pink scar on his right shoulder and a terrible headache. The healer came in every hour to make sure he was not running a fever in case the arrow had poison on its tip. He sucked down every drink of water and listened to the woman as she told him all of what happened after he went unconscious.

She also told him about the prince and how he never left his side. The young man somewhat doubted that. Ever since he woke up, Kunpimook didn’t visit him that whole time despite the healer’s word that he never left when he was close to death. The idea that even though he had lied to him for so long, the prince still gave him an ounce of thought made him sick. He didn’t deserve any of it. He should have died from that spear as atonement.

 _I’m out of the woods,_ he thought to himself. _He doesn’t need to pretend to care anymore._

When the healer gave the word for him to finally leave the medical tent, he jumped at the chance. He had missed a lot of time and didn’t know who was dead or alive. Stepping out of the tent was a reality check of sorts. There was many tents no longer standing. The families of the dead mourned by removing the supports from the tent and wrapping their loved one in the animal skin as a sign of respect.

Yugyeom stopped when he saw several bodies wrapped in skin in front of a small girl. She was on her hands and knees, and her shoulders trembled with her sadness. He wanted to comfort her, but now was not the time. This was a private moment; it would be disrespectful to intrude.

“Yugyeom!” Youngjae yelled when he saw his baby brother. He was wrapped up in a firm but gentle hug with his brother’s face buried into his neck. He consciously avoided the scar on his shoulder but still rubbed his thumb across the pink tissue.

The others in the main tent turn and ran to hug him Even Jaebum showed serious concern, but he stood away from him. At least one thing didn’t change when he was gone. His brother still resented him.

“Come on inside. The messenger from Kunpimook’s mother was just about to read her letter.”

“The Queen? What would she want with us?” Yugyeom asked Jackson. The blonde shrugged and led him into the tent. There was no sign of Kunpimook, and he was secretly relieved. He didn’t want to face him just yet.

The brothers sat down on the cushions surrounding a very nervous messenger. He was sweating in his heavy garments, definitely burning up in the settlement’s hot climate. The man cleared his throat and unfurled the rolled paper.

“The Queen has sent word of the impending threat a separate nomad group poses to her kingdom. As part of the treaty signed by one Im Jaebum, she formerly requests help protecting her people and their way of life.”

The brothers looked at each other. They knew exactly which group was attacking. They just barely survived a confrontation with his men not too long ago.

“It’s Park Jin-young,” Jinyoung sneered. Under the scowl, bile moved up his throat. He shook his head to remove such painful thoughts. Yugyeom was confused about why he was so stricken by the name.

“Why would he attack the kingdom?” Yugyeom asked. “He knows that the kingdom and every other surrounding is under the protection of much stronger groups. Does he want to die?”

“It’s a power play,” Jaebum answered. “Yeah, it is risky, but if he fails, he’ll lose a few hundred men. If he wins, he owns the kingdom and the loyalties of other royals. They’ll fear him.”

“Still,” Jackson piped up. “I have this weird feeling that this is more than a risk for power. If he wanted to take a kingdom, there are much weaker places with twice the amount of men to make foot soldiers. He’s aiming low for such a risk.”

“You’re right,” Youngjae sighed. “It’s much deeper. He’s hiding something.”

“Whatever it is,” Jaebum said, “we will honor our treaty. I will go to Kunpimook with the news and then we will all set out for the kingdom. The sooner we move, the better.”

The messenger nodded and bowed swiftly. He all but ran out of the tent and the neighing of a horse could be heard. The brothers would have been amused if such danger wasn’t hanging over them yet again.

* * *

 

Kunpimook packed food, clothing, and special medicines from the doctors. The young prince was anxious and scared. He didn’t like the idea of his mother being alone and scared in such a vast kingdom under a serious threat. He begged the brothers to let him carry a weapon on their journey.

“Are you ready?” Youngjae asked as he walked. He was carrying his own weapon, hooked daggers that he modified for himself.

“Yeah. I’ve got everything we need and more. Let’s go before something terrible happens,” Kunpimook sighed before pushing past him. Youngjae sighed too. He could see this was wearing on the young prince’s mind and wanted to be of some help. The best he could do was to get him to his mother and aide the kingdom in defeating Park Jin-young.

The pair walked to the brothers and Jinwoon. Jinwoon helped the prince onto his horse before getting on his own. Kunpimook smiled at him softly and received a smile back.

“We don’t know when we’ll be back, but we’ll try to make this quick,” Jinwoon said. “Take care of everyone and begin the worship rituals for the dead.” The villagers nodded and the group rode off into the sunset. They could only stop three times before they reached the kingdom borders. Time was of the essence.

It was almost night fall by the time they stopped to rest. The horses were hungry, tired, and restless, so they had no chose but to set up camp. Ideally, they wouldn’t have stopped until it was dawn, but setting out so late prevented them from reaching their goal.

After feeding the animals, Kunpimook went to his tent. The pots and food were in his possession since the other men had to carry armor and weapons. It was also his job as the Consort of their leader to cook for the warriors. It was such an outdated ritual, but he wasn’t up for a debate on his role as a husband.

He put the meat and potatoes on and went back to his tent to mix the sauce his mother had taught him. As he worked on the sauce, an eerie silence fell over the camp.  He ignored it, assuming the men were resting up before dinner was to be ready. The prince turned all his attention on making the sauce delicious enough to satisfy their hunger. His focus was only broken by the rustle of the tent flap.

The prince whipped around only to have his mouth covered by Jaebum’s calloused hand. He grumbled, but was shushed. He fell silent reluctantly but froze when he heard more rustling. His heart beat through his chest and he couldn’t think straight. His large eyes asked so many questions, but Jaebum didn’t have to answer any of them.

Metal sliced through the animal skin of the tent and Jaebum thrust his sword into the attacker’s chest. The prince screamed and tried to get away, but Jaebum refused to let him go. He fought out of the grip and grabbed his own weapon before rushing from the tent.

Kunpimook came face to face with the dead body of the attacker. His muscle tensed and froze in place. The screaming and morbid sound of metal meeting flesh brought him back to the palace. He could feel his father’s sticky red blood on his hands and heard his mother’s cries as men dragged them away before his body was mutilated.

 _Please no,_ he thought. He then felt the harsh grip of an angry fight grab his shoulder. A sharp pain pierced his side before he started going numb.

“No!” Jaebum yelled when he saw a raider come up behind Kunpimook. The sword drove into his side before his head was removed from his shoulders. Yugyeom caught the slack body of his childhood friend. The nomad saw red but could only cry and cling to him.

“No, you can’t leave me!” Yugyeom cried. “Don’t leave me. I beg you. I can’t lose you!” Kunpimook was slowly drifting in and out of consciousness. The wound wasn’t too deep, but the pain was causing him to go into shock.

The final raider had his head sliced in two. His body didn’t hit the ground before the brothers surrounded the pair. Jaebum crawled to his younger brother and his husband and brought them both into his arms. He applied pressure onto the large wound before ripping off the sleeve of his own shirt the tie around Kunpimook’s waist.

“Get the horse ready! We need to get to the border before night fall!”

The others did not hesitate. Jaebum let Yugyeom hold onto his husband until all of the animals were riled up and ready to move. They would have to abandon some of their supplies if they were going to get him to the kingdom walls in time. It was a loss that could deal with but losing their prince was not an option.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Can I just say that I really liked GOT7's new mini album? It was so good and this era has been feeding us well.
> 
> Expect more fics from different fandoms. If my plans are correct and concrete, there are six more chapters after this one. I am already planning a BTS fic and there might be Monsta X fics now that they are about to have their first full album soon. Monbebes, let's get them that win.
> 
> Anyway, thank you so much. Don't forget that I love kudos, constructive criticism makes the world go round, and hate just makes your skin dry and your hair oily. Until next time!


	8. Chapter 8

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So uh.... I can explain. 
> 
> 2016 was... a dumpster fire. We can all agree, and in that dumpster fire, a lot of stuff happened with me mentally and physically on top of graduating, so I had to drop every thing that did not involve senior year or preparing for university.I think I only posted one chapter that whole year.
> 
> Now that I am in university, I have way more time and places to sit down and write.
> 
> I would like to thank commentor Alize Kamkaew for bringing my attention back to this story. I reread what I wrote and it gave me the drive to keep it going, so thank you so much.
> 
> I hope you enjoy.

The journey through the unclaimed lands was a matter of life or death. The camp wasn’t even packed up except for their small bit of food when they took off into the dawn. Yugyeom laid BamBam across Jinwoon’s horse, entrusting him to take good care of the prince. The general leaned the man against his chest and held him up the best he could. Eventually, he was forced to stop the whole group to examine his side and heartbeat. The bleeding had slowed but so was his heart.

“Lord Im, we are cutting it close!” he yelled, getting back on his horse. “His heartbeat has dropped since we’ve left camp and we can’t do anything about it without a doctor.”

“We are almost through the front wall. Pick up speed!”

His men kicked their horse and split down the middle to let Jinwoon’s horse take the lead. The soldiers outside the gates of the kingdom were armed and ready to charge them but stopped once they saw the pale, bloody body of their prince. They didn’t hesitate and grabbed the locks of the gates and pulled them open as hard as they could. Horses kicked up dust as they passed through. The gates were slammed behind them and barred down.

Jinwoon led them straight to the castle stables. Expecting them soon, the Queen ran out to greet them. The blood drained from her face, and she screamed, “BamBam! My baby! What happened to him?!”

“Park Jin-young’s men attacked us at our camp. He was stabbed and hasn’t been conscious since we left,” Jaebum answered, taking his husband from his lead general. The horse was covered in BamBam’s blood and would need to be washed to get rid of the reminder. The Queen touched her son’s ashen face.

“Come in! We need to get him inside to our surgeon before it is too late!” She waved her hand to the palace guards, and they dragged the doors open. Blood spattered up the stairs.

They rushed inside, leaving their horses to the stable hands. The Queen led them into the infirmary. “Our usual surgeon is out taking care of soldiers that were hurt during the minor attack. I had to call in servants with training to take over the procedures.”

The infirmary doors opened and revealed their new doctors. Yugyeom knew them, and an anger stirred deep inside his chest. It was his “parent,” the spies assigned to raise him.

“Stand back,” Yugyeom growled. “You do not get to touch him!”

“Yugyeom, what the hell is the matter with you?!” The Queen glared. “We don’t have time for this mess. They are your parents!”

“They were never my parents. Parents wouldn’t treat you like a mission.”

“My Queen, these people have been working for Im Jae-suk for almost two decades. They are not to be trusted with anything,” Jaebum stepped in. “Especially not something as important as the prince’s health.”

“What?” she gasped, eyeing the two doctors. “How could you say such a thing?”

“I was privy to a scheme in the castles to make sure your son kept his end of the deal, a plot hatched by my father,” the lord admitted. “They were told to keep watch over him. Trust Yugyeom’s instinct and expel them from the room.

Her mind spun in circles, but she knew she could not take the risk. A resolve set into her face. “I want them out then.”

“But Your Highness,” the man protested, “why would you trust someone like this barbarian over your long-time servants? We came in to help when the other doctors were occupied with the soldiers.”

“This barbarian would not lie about something that would ruin all his father’s designs and benefit him,” she sneered. “Guards! Take them to the dungeon until I get to them.”

Protests fell on deaf ears as they were dragged from the room. BamBam was placed on the table, and an army doctor was called in to take care of him. Yugyeom stepped back, but the Queen caught his arm.

“You have some explaining to do, Gyeomie,” she said, her face a mix of desperation and betrayal. The young servant bowed to her and didn’t look her in the eye.

“My Queen, I would tell you anything.”

* * *

 

“Yugyeom, that was a stupid risk,” Jaebum scolded. “She could have thrown us out.”

“I couldn’t just let them kill BamBam,” Yugyeom sighed. “He was vulnerable and in the palm of their hand. Do you really believe they wouldn’t jump at the chance to kill and then flee to us?”

“I do believe it, but what if she didn’t believe you?”

“She always believed me. What was stopping her now?”

Jaebum sighed, “When family is hurt, there is no such thing as reasoning. She could have doubted you simply to save her son’s life.”

“The Queen has trusted me with her son for over a decade!”

“Time does not matter when family is in danger!”

“What would you know about family, you callous prick?!”

“Oh my Gods, enough!” Jinyoung yelled. The brothers froze when he raised his voice.

“Do you guys hear yourself?” Youngjae asked. “BamBam is hanging by a thread right now, and you are arguing like common toddlers.”

Yugyeom gritted, “I had to do it. I had to tell her.”

“And we know,” Mark calmed him. “Granted, it was a huge risk, but it was worth taking in the end. Just give us a warning when you suddenly change plans.”

“Exactly,” Jaebum glared.

Jackson inserted himself into it. “Not another word about it. Jaebum, you need to let whatever jealous, petty feeling you have against our brother go. He did make a risky decision, but he saved your husband from being tortured while vulnerable.”

Jaebum and Yugyeom looked at each other. The grunge seemed stupid now that their brothers had brought it up. BamBam was safe now, and that was all that should have mattered.

“I’m sorry,” Jaebum apologized.

Yugyeom nodded, “Me too. I should have played this better.”

“No, you did fine. You did the right thing and saved the prince.”

Yugyeom held out his hand for a shake. His older brother rolled his eyes and pulled him into a hug. The younger man tried to squirm out of it, but Jaebum refused to let up. “No, you aren’t getting out of this. Accept it.”

“Okay, now this is just weird,” Jinyoung mumbled. The brothers nodded but liked it way better than them tearing at each other’s throats. The brothers pulled away, feeling a bit awkward. They laughed at them. Now that this was over, they could give all their focus to protecting their people.

* * *

 

The military doctor finished with BamBam. He was able to stem the bleeding and fix some of the damage enough that he would be able to recover. Still, the young prince was not awake from his coma, another major hurdle in his recovery.

He opened the door to the infirmary. The Queen sat on the bench just outside, resting her head in her hands. She stood when she saw him come out.

“I will be back in an hour, Your Highness. Spend all the time you need with him.”

“Thank you, doctor.” Her let her inside the resting room after sanitizing the area. She sat beside the motionless man and carefully watched over her only child. Her heart was filled with grief, fear, and some glimmer of hope. He was still alive. That was all she could have hoped for now.

 “Oh, baby boy. Why did I let you leave?” the Queen asked. She held his hand against her lips. A snort escaped her lips and she shook her head.

“What a dumb question. I could have begged you, but you would have still gone, because you always protected me.” She sniffled, leaning back into her seat. His hand was let go as she covered her mouth to muffle the sob.

“You have to come back to us, BamBam,” his mother pleaded. “You have a family now. You have a husband and friends that want you safe, no matter how much you doubt it.”

“You have to make a choice,” the Queen sighed. “When you come back to us, and you will, you will have to decide what you want to do. Pick with your heart, and for once, my dear boy, be selfish.”

The grandfather clock chimed the new hour. It echoed down the halls and leaked under the door. The Queen stood and leaned in to kiss his still cheek.

“Hold on there, BamBam. I know you’ll be back with us.”

The door creaked open, and Jaebum popped his head in. “Sorry, I can wait.”

“No, please come inside. I have to go talk with your general about Park Jin-young,” she stopped him. “Come keep him company. It would ease my mind if someone was talking to him.”

The lord stepped into the room and softly shut the door. He bowed to her out of respect, but she waved it off. She accepted, instead, his hand, and a soft smile crossed her thin lips.

“No need for formalities,” she reassured. “Just take care of my son. Tell him how you feel.” Jaebum’s face heated up, and he chuckled.

“I don’t think he could ever feel something for me.”

“You never know. You’re still in the honeymoon phase, my son.”

He shook his head, and she laughed at his denial. Opening the door, she stepped outside and walked towards the war room. It left the lord alone with his husband. It left him alone to think about what they have so far.

“BamBam, I know might not be able to hear me, but I’m counting on it,” he said. “You have to come back to us. We need you here.”

“I know that I am not your favorite person, but I would never wish something like this on you. I am so sorry for the kiss without asking you,” the lord apologized. “Believe it or not, I need you here. Something in me felt so much better when you were by my side or nearby.”

The lord sniffled and humorlessly laughed. “God, you have every right to hate me, but I cannot hate you. Besides me, my brother and your mother need you. They love and care about you, and it is killing them to not know if you are going to make it through, so please, _wake up, my prince.”_

The lord realized he was losing composure and stood up. “I love you, BamBam, and I need you. Come back to me.”

* * *

 

“Your Highness!” The cry echoed through the main floor of the castle. A soldier took off down the hall towards the war room. He tried to ignore the violent clash of swords and the panicked neighs of horses. His boots hitting the ground as blood pumped through his ears distracted him from all of that.

The soldier burst through the war room door. “My Queen! General Jinwoon!”

“What is it? Why are you making such a fuss?” Jinwoon scolded.

“Do you not hear that commotion outside the walls? We are under attack, and our men are outnumbered!”

The Queen and general were panicked, there was no time to execute anything they planned. “I am going to the front lines. Get my lord and his brothers!”

“Ay, General!” the soldier bowed. He left the room before the General. Jinwoon stopped and turned to the Queen.

“Lock the doors. Do not let anyone in. I will go lock the infirmary and check on BamBam.”

“How will I know if you or the other men were safe? How will I know to come out?”

“I will speak to you. If I don’t speak, you do not answer the door or reply,” Jinwoon replied. “Park Jin-young is making his play. He hit our village first, so we could not aid you when he attacked.”

“That’s a bit risky,” The Queen reasoned. “Did he even check if he had taken out your army or villagers?”

“I do not know, but I am counting on him being dense for once,” the general replied. “Just listen to my instructions.”

“Ay, General. Be careful.”

He shook his head. “No promises, Your Highness.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So... yeah. I hope you liked that chapter. Comments and critiques are totally welcome, and why not drop me a kudos while you are down there.
> 
> I hope you guys have a great day, and thank you again for reading.


	9. Chapter 9

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello, everyone! Thank you for the patient wait these past few weeks.
> 
> Everything with university and club responsibilities managed to happen in the first month of regular semester, so I was away from my personal writing for a long time. My fuel has been a study playlist I made on Spotify filled with different songs, and I want to share it with you as well.
> 
> Thank you so much and I hope you enjoy.

The Queen watched from the window as her son-in-law fought against the invaders. The anxiety was killing her, and she just wanted to burst out of the door and run to their aid. Her kingdom was falling, and the maternal and leadership instinct kicked in.

The door shook on its hinges. She jumped and pressed herself against the window frame. Her chest rushed in its rise and fall. She wanted so badly to scream, but if they knew who was in here, they would not leave.

“Come out, Your Highness,” a voice on the other side said. “We won’t harm you.”

“Go away! You will not win this war!”

“Oh, I doubt that. Break open the door!”

The beating resumed with vigor. The hinges shook and trembled under the massive force of what sounded like boots. The heavy wood began to splinter as more and more drive and power was forced upon it. Her luck was running out as it broke more and more before finally collapsing into halves. Park Jin-young steps inside the room with an unsheathed dagger and smirked.

“Well, I did ask you nicely,” he sneered. “Where is your son!?”

“You cannot have him you bastard. Keep away from my boy!”

The laugh that passed through the clenched teeth of the lord was dark and blood curdling. There was true anger and malice deep inside of him that came out in that laugh. The Queen was face-to-face with him, and she knew, deep down, he would be the last person she saw.

“I will have him, even if it means I have the unpleasant task of literally going through you,” he threatened.

Her fate was sealed. She knew what was going to happen and accepted what her end. It didn’t make her upset or even sad; it was the sacrifice she would make if it meant her son would not be subject to his evil.

“Then go through me.” Her own dagger was raised, and she held her ground even as the lord loomed over her. She would protect her child even if it meant she would die.

* * *

 

The courtyard was a bloodbath. Soldiers, both Park Jin-young’s and the kingdom’s laid motionless on the front steps. Horses had fallen along with their owners only to get up and gallop away from the carnage. Park’s army forced Jaebum and his brothers into the front of the castle. The doors slammed in, as they all tried to fight it out on marbled floors.

“The infirmary is just down the hall!” Jaebum heard one of the soldiers cry out. A sick feeling settled in his belly, but he could not stop fighting. He didn’t know what would happen if he was struck down before he could get to BamBam and protect him.

“Jackson!” Jaebum yelled. “Have the men use their spears to hold them back. I have to get to the infirmary!”

“Where is the Queen?!” his brother yelled. They were inside the castle, so the soldiers could have easily gotten to her. The color drained out of Jaebum’s face.

“Jinwoon, hand over your lead. Go find the Queen!”

“Aye, my lord!” his first-in-command yelled, taking off down a winding corridor after slicing an enemy shoulder across the chest. Jaebum turned on his heels and shoved his dagger into the chest of another foot soldier. He ran for the infirmary, winding through halls upon halls of dead bodies. They were all servants who’d been working when the raid started. He would have to give them a proper burial after, but now, he had to avoid dying himself.

Jaebum slid across the floor, spying Park Jin-young just in front of the throne room doors. His sword stood tall out of the chest of a guard. A sick smirk twisted his face. The murderous look in his eye was unmistakable.

“Young Lord Im, what a nice sight. You have blood all over your armor, and might I say, it suits you quite well,” the man smirked. “Tell me, is any of that your own?”

“Fuck off, Park. I don’t have time for your games.”

“You will make time, young lord,” he sneered. “This is the day that I take over. This whole plan was to get you back, so I could kill two birds with one stone.”

Jaebum gritted, “You are not going to take this kingdom. Not while I am here, and I am the Prince Consort.”

Park laughed with a sick sneer, “A measy consort? This is so entertaining! The son of the most vicious warlord is now the whore of a weak-necked prince?!”

“I take pride in it! If you knew what was best for you, you would never talk out of turn about my husband.”

“Oh please, young Im. He hates you; we all know it!” Park Jin-young snorted. “The only reason he hasn’t slit your throat is because you were the only thing standing between me and him. Now that I have you here, and his mother is dead, I can do what I want.”

He stepped closer, slowly, and Jaebum had to force himself not to step back. His fingers itched for his dagger as his other hand curled tighter around his sword.

“I am going to marry your little prince. He will be my Consort, and I will do to him what your father did to your mother and your brothers’’ mothers,” he promised. “My own little harem, and your husband is my first trophy.”

Jaebum let out a furious yell as he charged the older lord. He easily stepped to the side as the sword came down, slapping the young man across the cheek. It didn’t stop him, and he kept going and jabbing and charging. Park Jin-young relished in the misguided moves, barely sweating as he dealt blow after blow.

“I always love a good fight! Especially if my kill keeps fighting back!”

Jaebum swayed on his feet. His sword was help limply in his bruised hand. His cheek was swollen from the slaps, and he was sure he could taste fresh blood on his teeth. Still, the lord persisted and kept his footing. He stood his ground and battled back against his elder. He was still struck down.

“Get up, runt!” Park Jin-young bellowed. He grabbed at his foe’s hair to hold him up. His dagger was unsheathed and driven right into his stomach. Jaebum’s eyes were wide as he felt his abdomen explode with pain. The sick look in the other’s eyes finally made him drop the fearless act.

His drooping eyes dropped down to his leather armor. He could feel the blood drip down his under shirt and over his pants. It bloomed like an ugly, deadly bruise. Head swimming and ears ringing, he slumped down and dropped to the marbled floors of the throne room. As his eyes closed, he could hear only one thing:

“Lay down and die.”

* * *

 

Eyes jerked open. In a hurry, they tried to adjust and look around. It was bright and painful all over. His body felt like it was crushed under a heavy weight. Even his arms were too heavy to lift.

After adjusting, the young man sat up the best he could. The yelling was louder just outside the door. Metal against metal and bodies hitting the floor alarmed him. He didn’t know what was happening, but he knew where he was. He just wanted to find someone that could explain.

“Jaebum? Yugyeom?” the weak man croaked. “Mother?!”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you for reading. Comment anything from critiques or just plain old anything. Critique is part of the process, so I will appreciate it a lot. We have four more chapters left until I put this story to rest. 
> 
> Link to my personal Project and Study Playlist:
> 
> https://open.spotify.com/user/torichavonne/playlist/7uISaYALmk1XN9VMqc4exm?si=ZYxK1IxoS_S9zgQnrG3bzw
> 
> I will see you all in the next chapter.


	10. Chapter 10

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> It's been a month, I know. Sorry about that. The spring break was not a break; it was a myth and I got no work down and little sleep. As I am writing this note, I have an alarm set for me to start research for one of my two big projects for the SAME class.
> 
> I also have some student duties and club duties that just.... all I'm tryna say is know your limit and make a set schedule things. The calendar app is your friend.
> 
> Please enjoy the chapter.

BamBam heard the fighting and stopped yelling. He didn’t want to alert anyone to his whereabouts, and it was in his best interests to get the hell out of the infirmary before anyone thought to check there. He slowly rose from the bed, feet touching the floor and trying to take his weight. He almost crumbled to the ground and had to hold onto the side table and the wall to stay up. His legs hadn’t been in use for days, and he hadn’t eaten for the same amount of time.

He felt for a notch in the wall and pulled it once his fingers brushed against it. The panel opened, and he slipped through. The tunnel would lead to the throne room, which is always locked at times of invasion. Then, he could try to get through the other tunnels that led out of the castle.

The door flew off its hinges. BamBam jumped but kept moving. He was lucky to get out in time. Like he predicted, they kicked in the door and was tearing the tiny infirmary apart at the seams.

The young prince didn’t look back as his feet took him out of the tunnel and into the throne room. He fell to the ground as the secret door slammed behind him. He’d tripped over the bloody body of a guard. The shock was enough to spur him to grab the dagger off the corpse. Someone had to have been in the throne room to drag their bodies inside.

The young prince tried to stand again but fell once more as he came face to face with a monster. His face drained of all color as he locked eyes with a murderer.

“Well, isn’t this just beautiful?” Park Jinyoung smirked. “The prince has finally arrived at the party. A little too late for your husband’s liking, though.”

“Where is he, you son of a bitch?” BamBam sneered, spitting at his feet. His eyes darted around the room as he began to panic. The angry façade dropped as he spotted a motionless body through the small gap in the large throne doors. “Oh God, no!”

“Hush, my sweet prince. He was too weak to protect you. Me… I would slay an entire empire for your hand.”

“Shut your filthy mouth, you beast! You are weaker than he ever was,” the prince cried out. “He loved me more than you ever could. Only a coward would storm a kingdom and slaughter innocents.”

“I am no coward!” the war lord boomed. “I am stronger than any of the other war lords and generals at your disposal. I just proved I am not above murdering a woman. I won’t hesitate to cut down my groom.”

An awful, sickening feeling settled deep inside of BamBam. He hadn’t seen his mother during this whole ordeal. She wasn’t here in the throne room either. It was where they always planned to meet in case something like this happened again.

“You killed her.”

“I had to, my prince,” Park Jinyoung replied, a fake calmness settling on his violent aura. “She was in the way of what could be a powerful alliance.”

“Alliances only have power if we believe and trust each other. You and I will never be friends you so desperately want, and sure as hell, we will never be lovers!”

“What makes your dead groom so important that you would spill a tear?” the older man taunted. “What makes you believe he ever loved you?”

“Because he stayed with me!” BamBam yelled, standing to his full height. “He fought for a country that never liked him. You, you pathetic little man, will never know what love means.”

Park Jinyoung took up his sword again. He swung it a few times. “If that is how you feel, then we can play a small game before I gut you like the weak little calf you are.”

BamBam gripped his dagger tighter. He would die before he let this man take him as a prize.

* * *

 

“Jaebum!” Jinyoung yelled. The fighting had died down outside with both armies retreating for the most part. There were many casualties, but none of the villagers died when the clan stormed in. They hid in holes they made during the first invasion of the Im clan.

Mark was right behind his brothers, peaking into every room in case there was anyone hiding or waiting to attack. He opened the door to a war room and gasped as his eyes landed on the dead body of the Queen. “Jinyoung, come here.”

All the brothers gathered at the door, and their hearts broke. She laid on the carpet with her small sword still clenched in her hand. Her body was riddled with scratches and blood slipped out of her mouth. Her abdomen was covered in blood, a bright red stain on her beautiful white gown. Her face was at peace with no traces of fear or sadness.

The men bowed their heads and placed their left fist over the right side of their chest. Tears filled their eyes as they realized that BamBam was now the last of his line. He would be so devastated.

“We will come back for her,” Youngjae promised. “Now, we have to go find our brother and BamBam.”

They continued down the halls, looking around and peeking inside more rooms. Deciding to take the long corridor to the throne room, the group made a sharp turn to the right, and from a distance, all the men spotted a motionless body.

“Guys!” Youngjae yelled. “Oh my God, it’s Jaebum! Jaebum!”

They all took off running. The throne room doors were completely closed now. They could hear the violent clash of metal against the floor and other metals. The brothers had an awful feeling they knew who was inside of the room, but there was another pressing matter. There was blood blooming at the front of Jaebum’s armor.

Yugyeom slowly turned him over onto his back. “That bastard stabbed him through the abdomen. Check his pulse while I wrap up the wound.” He ripped off some of his under shirt and tied it around his brother’s waist. It would put pressure on it despite the fact none of them knew how long he had been hurt.

“He’s breathing. It is weak, though, so we need to get to the infirmary,” Jackson replied.

“With what doctor? All employees fled,” Mark sighed. “Plus, if BamBam is in that throne room, he probably ran from someone in the infirmary.

“I know how to treat wounds,” Yugyeom sighed. “My fake parents were real doctors and surgeons. I was made to sit in on every surgery, so I would be desensitized to blood. For once, they actually did something right.”

Slowly, they lifted their wounded brother. He groaned, and it came out as a gurgle. With fast steps, they rushed to one of the rooms.

* * *

 

Park Jinyoung looked at the door and heard soft voices. He smirked at the kneeling prince.

“I guess your in-laws have found their dead brother,” he taunted. “I will give them some respect; at least they didn’t cry like a bitch like you did.”

“Shut up you rotten bastard!”

“Hush! Know your place,” the man sneered. A secret passage door swung open, and two guards entered the throne room. They were Park’s men.

“Right on time!” he laughed. “Lock the throne room doors. I want to have some private time with my consort.

“Over my dead body! You will not lay a hand on my body. I will cut it clean off your arm.”

“Oh, young prince. Your mother said the same thing.” Again, BamBam’s heart clenched and his blood ran cold. “Well, what kind of a husband would I be if I didn’t not obey your order?”

He raised his sword as the doors banged shut. The guards dropped their swords and watched.

“Shall we dance?” BamBam asked. His own dagger was raised high.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I hope you guys liked this chapter. There are three chapters left and due to my Calendar app not letting me live if I don't at lease open the notification, I have two more days of fic writing before I am back to my weekday workload.
> 
> Leave me a comment (I Love Validation) and thank you so much. See you soon!


	11. Chapter 11

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Well, hello. It has been two months since I last updated this and as usual, I am so sorry about that. Good news is that my freshmen year of college ended with a great GPA, and I am home for the summer. That means that I will be able to post the next chapter a lot sooner than this one was posted.
> 
> Trigger Warnings: This chapter depicts graphic fights, blood, death, and suicidal ideation. Please be careful as you read this chapter.
> 
> I hope you enjoy this chapter!

BamBam hit the wall with a smack and groaned. The force stunned his body, but he opened his eyes to see a glint of metal come his way. He rolled out of the way, barely missing the slicing of the sword against the marble floor. He rolled through and stood a few feet away from his enemy. The prince saw the deep scratch in the marble. His breath was pounding in and out of his lungs.

“Wow! I cannot believe what I am seeing!” the man taunted. He laughed a deep, awful lot before looking at his enemy. “Our little prince has some bite. Come on, dearest, swing your sword around. Maybe, I’ll let you get a slice in.”

The prince sneered and charged the man. He thought he had a clear shot at his ribs, but it was only for a fleeting moment. He hit air, but his head snapped forward from the vicious blow of the warlord’s hand. The blow landed right on the back of his skull. He barely caught himself before he slammed his head against the floor. Disoriented, he felt the man loom, so he crawled away the best that he could. He got some distance away, ignoring the throbbing of his leg and ribs.

“Just when I thought you had some bite. You crawl like a bitch.” His foot came down on his back with a stomp, and BamBam screamed violently. It shook across the walls, and he trembled. His leg was yanked, and his body was dragged across the floor. He tried to dig his nails into the spaces between the marble stones, but the war lord dragged him too fast to even get a dagger into the floor.

“Now, my dear boy, say you will surrender, and I won’t hurt you anymore. Please, make this easier for all of us.”

“Fuck you,” BamBam sneered, blood dripped from his lip. His head snapped to the side, and light burst behind his eyes. He could feel blood rushing through his ears and around his head. That would make a nasty bruise.

“None of that mouth, or I will cut your tongue like your mother’s throat,” Park Jinyoung sneered. “Surrender and save yourself. Learn, for once, to preserve your own life. Don’t be an idiot like you were all those years ago.”

“I don’t surrender for spineless men like you, who murder and pillage for what?! Some coin and to assault women and men for sport.”

A hand came down over his mouth. He saw stars and hissed. He spit blood up and groaned as he tried to stand. Another boot came down on his back, and his body rolled and contorted. The blow came down but didn’t connect. There was still some power in the injured monarch

The prince gripped it in his hands and twisted the ankle. A distinct crack followed by a loud grunt signaled he’d sprained something. The warlord let out a scream in pain and tried to get away. Working up confidence, he pushed up and threw the man off balance. The war lord fell and got back up, this time supporting his weight on his left leg. He wabbled around, weak now from the break.

“You, bitch!”

“It’s not nice to stomp on people,” BamBam smirked, blood staining his teeth. “Actions have consequences.”

“You should know that well, boy! Now, you must face yours,” the older man sneered. “I can’t wait to punish you after I make you mine!”

The young prince was up on his feet by now, smirking with new found confidence. “No, Park. That’s where you are wrong.” He gripped the sword tighter.

“I am nobody’s.”

The man tried to rush him, but he easily side stepped. He kicked him in the bad ankle, relishing the scream and a more clean, firm break. The man tried to get up but couldn’t. He crawled away from the young prince and supported himself on a wall.

BamBam straddled him and pulled all of his blades. He threw them to the side before raining punch after punch across the face of his abuser. The man tried to push him off, but a firm press to his ruined ankle stopped him from trying again.

“Where is that confidence now?!” BamBam yelled. “Where is your puffed chest and ego?!”

“Shut it, you runt!” Another fist connected with his face, forcing him to the ground again. His head slammed against the stone and his nose was in a odd position

BamBam cried, “You aren’t strong now huh? Someone breaks your ankle and you fold easier than paper!”

He stood up and stomped his foot into the man’s chest. His hand came up to slam his head backwards. There was more blood on the floor.

The prince grabbed his good leg, and with a struggle, dragged him to the center of the floor. He sat him up against his chest, one of his arms twist to the point the warlord was crying out. The warlord tried to reach for a dagger, but they were all gone now. He saw the metal glint of his useless weapons from across the room.

“Now, time to face the consequences.”

* * *

 

Jackson and Jinyoung ran back down the hall at the sound of BamBam’s screams. They didn’t want to leave their brother, but they knew their prince was an amateur fighter. The brothers also knew their uncle’s power and ruthlessness.

They ran clear into the throne door and banged on it. It didn’t budge, but neither did the brothers. Their fist connected and came back blood with the repeated hits. Their patience wore thin and they put more weight to it.

“Come on, Jackson!” Jinyoung yelled, anger boiling to the surface. His brother was already putting his boot to the lock. It creaked as the pressure and eventually gave to it. The doors flew opened and slammed against the heavy concrete wall.

The brothers ran into the throne room, but they stopped when they saw their prince holding Park Jinyoung’s hair. His head was pulled back, and he tried to struggle out of BamBam’s heavy grip, but it wouldn’t give.’

“Nephews!” the needy man yelled. “Stop him. Stop this madman and free me.”

“Now, we are your nephews?!” Jackson sneered. “Years of torture and violence from you and our father and now we are your blood. We are your kin?!”

The man stopped struggling as the ugly reality settled in. His manipulation and abuse had hardened them to where they felt no remorse for the evil. No tragic, pathetic past would change their mind about the man. He was pure evil. He was to die on that floor.

BamBam drove the knife into his throat, cutting off any plea. He choked and gasped through the blood and tried to pull out the dagger, but it was wrenched to the side. They coughed up spurts before falling to the ground.

The prince dropped the blade and slumped to the ground. He watched his in-laws rush to his side. They looked at his leg and chest and gave him a general examination.

“BamBam, are you alright?!” Jinyoung panicked. He saw bruising on his ribs and chest. Blood was still dripping from his mouth.

“I just – I just need a bath,” the prince whimpered. Tears started to stream down his face. “Can you guys take me to the bath?”

The brothers looked at each other before nodding. Carefully, they supported both of his arms and his waist and walked him back through the infirmary passage. They stepped over the bodies of fallen mercenaries and ignored the sword standing tall in one of the infirmary beds.

BamBam made eye contact with the other brothers in the second infirmary room, but his eyes drifted to his husband on the bed. His face was expressionless, but the brother knew his shock from the way his breath caught. He kept looking as he was walked into the single wash room with a bath tub.

He accepted their help undressing, and Yugyeom came in to run the hot bath. He looked at his friend with sadness and pity. BamBam looked into his eyes, as Jinyoung and Jackson left them alone.

The youngest brother lifted him up and gently settled him under lavender bubbles and warmth. He looked at him once more and took his hand.

“I am so sorry, BamBam,” Yugyeom apologized, his voice catching. “We don’t know if he’ll make it.”

The prince turned away and stared at their intertwined hands, He saw the soft glint of his silver ring in the dim candle light. Everything came back. Everything felt so raw. His mother was dead and soon his husband.

“Oh God no!” he yelled as he burst into tears. He squeezed Yugyeom’s hand and sobbed into his shoulder. He felt like dying. He wished he had died.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Okay, so as I said before, the next two chapters will be the last. I will wrap things up with BamBam and Yugyeom in the next chapter, so do not worry about that at all. 
> 
> I would also like to say thank you all that stuck with me for two years and put up with these weird and random updates and showed so much support for this fic.
> 
> I will see you in the final chapter!


	12. Chapter 12

A new day dawned over the kingdom. The markets were buzzing as residents were returned to their homes and stalls. People got back to life as before, still wondering what had warranted an immediate evacuation.

Inside the castle gates, bodies were gathered and wrapped up. They would be protected until their families could claim them. Word had already been sent out to the other nomads to prepare their move. They were to come to the kingdom to take part in the funeral rites for their fallen warriors.

Within the castle walls, there was a traditional silence for grieving. The surviving staff was allowed to pay respects to their fallen Queen, a woman that fought until there was no more in her. She was laid in her marital bed, the same bed her husband had once been displayed in upon his own death. The silence lasted for three days and was followed by the cleansing of the castle. After all bodies had been gathered from the corridors, maids went through and washed alongside the brothers.

After the mourning ceremony, Yugyeom found himself watching the married couple from outside the infirmary door. BamBam laid in a bed dragged in from one of the guest rooms. It was pushed together with the infirmary bed, so that he could be close to Jaebum but still be careful of his own condition. A doctor was requested from the neighboring kingdom, and he rode all night to diagnose both men with broken ribs, internal bruising, and facial and body contusions.

Jaebum was the worst of the two. He was still unconscious but alive. It worried the brothers for days when his breathing would slow and pick up randomly. The doctor said it was nightmares. The brothers thought that was much worse.

After the battle, the last living mercenaries were taken into the main city and held in the prison. Citizens were returned to their homes through the next week. Thankfully, none had been hurt in the actual ambush, but there were some injuries during the evacuation that the doctor also monitored. The last men of Jaebum’s army, including Jinwoon, were brought in and housed in the castle.

The nation had not yet learned of their Queen’s death. It was best that the Prince was to be well enough to break the news to them. It had been so long since the King’s death, and there was also an explanation due to them for the emergency rush.

“What do we do now?” Yugyeom asked his brothers. They were all waiting outside the room for any new developments.

“I think we have no choice but to go home and bring back the last of our people,” Jinyoung sighed. “I mean, look at us. Half of our men are covered in sheets in the morgue, and we have no monarch to serve. BamBam is alone.”

“I’ve already sent messengers to our people,” Mark replied. “They are coming here. It would be too much for us to take every single body back to our settlement.”

“Besides, he has us,” Youngjae said. “He has us here, and so we will be living here.”

Yugyeom snorted, “Yeah, right. The citizens are already upset about the evacuation. Do you think they would accept us with open arms and simply forget what has happened here?  They still curse father’s name.”

“We curse him, too,” Youngjae tried to reason. “Yeomie, these people no longer fear us. We’ve killed a major tyrant.”

“And he killed their Queen,” he replied. “We were fighting outside as she was murdered in the war room. They don’t even know that.”

They all stood in silence. There was not a sound except for the occasional snore from the infirmary room. Their younger brother had a point. There would be no peace for them for some time, but it was worth it to try and see what could be accomplished.

“Yugyeom,” Mark said, “it would be foolish of us to forget our legacy, but we cannot let that stop us from loving and supporting BamBam. He lost his family and fought with us, and the least we can do is stay and be by his side as he grieves.”

Once again, none of the brothers had anything to say.

Mark sighed. “We cannot talk about this with the last royal in the room still sleeping. I think it is best if we shelve this until we can talk with them and figure something out.”

The brothers nodded and went out to do relief work and bury their men. Yugyeom was left alone at the door. He saw the prince stir and sit up. They looked eyes, and BamBam waved him inside.

“How long was I asleep?” BamBam asked, slow to sit up in his bed. Yugyeom placed pillows around his waist to protect his healing ribs.

“Five hours. We gave you both pain killers to put you to sleep,” he replied. “How are you feeling?”

“Still sore and cranky, but I’m alive. I’m still here.”

“I’m not talking about your body,” the younger corrected. “How are _you_ feeling?”

BamBam fell silent. He played with his fingers and picked at his nail and shook his head. He didn’t really know how he felt in the moment. It was all so sudden, and the fog of pain meds prevented him from really thinking about it all.

“I guess I’m sad,” he finally answered. “I’m an orphan, many men died for my throne, and my husband is in terrible condition. I don’t know how to explain this besides being numb.”

“I’m sorry for this,” Yugyeom replied. “I wish I could take this whole mess back. I wish I had said something about my role, and we could have avoided this.

“I know, Yugyeomie. I know you meant no real harm, and I’ve been trying to forgive you. It is taking some time, and I will be mad at you for some more time but know that I know what you were to me all along was genuine.”

Yugyeom felt his heart clench and a relief wash over him. “Thank you, Bam,” he smiled softly.

“If I am honest,” the prince began, “I don’t think I could imagine none of this happening. Something in me tells me I was meant to be here. Whether or not being the last in my line was part of that, I may never know.”

They were quiet once more. They both knew what they needed to talk about, but it seemed clear what they both wanted.

“I hope you can learn to love my brother,” Yugyeom confessed. BamBam smiled softly and hugged his best friend. The man went stiff before wrapping his arms around him. His chin rested on his shoulder.

“I hope I can find that peace with him.”

Yugyeom let go with a squeeze and left the infirmary room. BamBam let out a heavy sigh when the door closed. He was happy things had worked out, but he still had a lot happening in his heart.

“Oh, Jaebum, I wish you would wake up,” he confessed, his voice trembling. He walked to his husband’s side and gripped his hand. He played with the still fingers and sniffled. A tear fell on the prone palm.

“I don’t want to be alone right now,” he added. “I don’t want to be without you right now. You have worked your way under my skin, and you live there.”

“Jaebum, I know we both said terrible things to each other, and for that, I want to say sorry. Right now, I can’t imagine not being with you and being by your side. You fought for me, my people, and my family without hesitation and with honor.”

He broke off, the tears rushing down his face. He let go of Jaebum’s hand to cried into his own. His body shook as all the grief rushed up again. Under the grief was aw and affection that there were few words to explain.

“Jaebum, I don’t love you right now, but I can learn to love you. I will cherish your company and your bravery, and I cannot express the affection in my soul,” he finally said, wiping tears that wouldn’t cease. “Im Jaebum, my heart belongs to you. I just want you to come back to me.”

Eyes blinked open and looked at the ceiling. They turn to look at the person beside them. A soft smile forms on pale lips. There is warmth in their face.

“My prince,” Jaebum starts, voice hoarse from lack of use, “my heart and devotion belong with you. I love you.”

BamBam radiated light and leaned in for a soft kiss. His hand cradled his husband’s cheek. The kiss remained soft with smooth pecks and smiles. It was playful and bashful, and it was perfect. The prince knew one thing for sure: he would hold onto this as long as he could.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Once again, thank you all for sticking with me as I wrote this story. I have the last chapter which will follow last bit of the arc and everything that happens with the family. 
> 
> Right now, I am in the process of planning another fic, this time a BTS spy AU. I have been throwing the plot around for some time and settled on BTS for the cast. Because of my job and other responsibilities, I will not be posting the fic as it is written. It will be posted when I have the full thing done. (Actually, don't hold me to that.) Also, I have a question.
> 
> Would you be interested in a sequel of sorts for this particular fic? Instead of making it one, driven story, I might take prompts for this particular AU and make it into a series. I just want to gauge whether that was something that was actually wanted.
> 
> Okay, that's it for me. I will see you next chapter!


	13. Chapter 13

The steps leading to the castle gates were crowded. Women held onto their babies, and fathers held their infants in large arms. People shoved left and right trying to get a clear view. Food baskets and blankets were laid along the hill, and thin umbrellas shielded them from the bright summer sun. There was chatter as the guards and soldiers made rounds on the royal grounds.

A loud trumpet cut through the usual village chatter. Heads turned to the bottom of the steps, and a handsome man in clean, shimmering armor stood before them all. He had a beautiful smile that reached his eyes as he boomed.

“Attention! I would like to present to you Lord Im Jaebum, Nomad!” Cheers rose from the grass, as the cheerful man stepped aside to show them their leader’s husband. It had been a long time coming, with months of adjustment and change.

Just six months before, the country was rocked by the news of their Queen’s death. There were tears all around and shops closed for two months. No concerts or fairs were held, and every major politician or worker dressed in black. It hurt them all to know that she would never return to them.

Following the months of mourning, the nomadic tribe was brought into the kingdom. They had lived in the palace for some time before to give the people time to adjust to the shake-up. Like, Yugyeom had predicted there was a lot of protest. The people believed them to be their Queen’s murderer, but it took BamBam coming out of his isolation to change their minds. They had a hard time welcoming them because of the culture clash, but soon, it was as if they had been living there for over a year.

Then, talk of coronation started in the neighboring kingdoms. With Park Jinyoung dead, they no longer had to fear retribution if they became allies. They banded together in a summit to determine a coronation date for the young prince. He would have to take the monarch mantle, and his husband would be his consort.

Jaebum made his way up the steps as the people stood. His cape dragged behind him, as he climbed his way to the gates. They opened with ease and he passed through them. The breath was knocked out of him by the sight of his husband.

BamBam was dressed in a white suit with gold stitching. His black hair stood out against golden skin. His brown eyes held warmth and love, and his lips were split in a beautiful smile. Jaebum’s heart picked up, and it took everything not to run into his arms and kiss him.

“Hello, dear,” BamBam teased as his husband stood in front of him. Jaebum winked before turning towards the kingdom’s spiritual advisor. “New here?”

“Oh hush,” Jaebum chuckled. He returned his attention to the man dressed in a soft blue. He had another man beside him with a purple pillow. It held their official piece of jewelry, beautiful crowns.

“Today, we are gathered for the coronation bestowed by the power of the people,” he began. “Today, two will become one in the eyes of the monarch and the kingdom can begin anew!” He allowed them to applaud before continuing with the ceremony.

“Our Prince, will you lead us into prosperity and peace, and work to bring peaceful relations with others as well as love and serve your people? Do you promise to remain by your Consort’s side as we are led into prosperity?”

“Yes, I shall,” BamBam replied. He turned and bowed to his consort.

“Lord Im, will you faithfully serve His Majesty’s kingdom with loyalty and honesty?” he asked. “Do you promise to remain by the King’s side and be there to lead us into prosperity?”

“Yes, I shall,” Jaebum answered honestly. He bowed to his husband and took his hand as they turned back to the spiritual advisor.

The spiritual adviser lifted one crown, a large golden piece, encrusted with purple gems. He carefully placed it upon the head of BamBam before handing him a scepter topped with a velvet dome. Jaebum was given a crown as immaculate in detail as his King’s. They both turned with smiles to look upon their people.

“By the trust and power given to me by this lovely kingdom, I present to you King Kunpimook Bhuwakul and King Consort Im Jaebum.”

The palace lawn erupted in cheers and claps. The two monarchs turned to kiss each other with smiles and love. The cheers got louder, and they even heard the adviser happily sigh.

* * *

 

Jaebum looked at his husband with fond eyes. His nude back stood out in the pale moonlight breaking through the palace windows. He resisted kissing his neck or shoulder to get up and order food. They might have skipped the festivities to be alone, but now, he was hungry and was sure his young husband was going to be when he woke up.

Wrapping himself in a rob, he walked to the kitchen. The staff had been sent home, but he had dressed in case he ran into a hungry soldier. Sure enough, he ran into five hungry soldiers, his own brothers. They all sat around roast pork slices with bowls of rice and plates of cake.

“Look who decide to drag himself from his husband to grace us with his royal presence!” Yugyeom joked, sipping his wine with a playful smirk.

“Hush, you menace!” Jackson joked. “He has that love glow thing.”

“Love glow?” Jaebum raised his eyebrow.

“You are absolutely smitten with our King,” Mark chuckled. “Love makes you glow, Jaebum.”

The man chuckled as he got a bowl of rice. He took pork from the platter and settled down to eat. He watched his brothers’ banter with a soft smiled but felt there was something they needed to talk about. He cleared his throat and put his bowl down.

“I think we need to talk about Jae-suk.”

“What about him?” Yugyeom asked, his face going hard and distant.

“We can’t let him hang over us anymore,” Jaebum said. “We have to move on.”

“That’s easier said than done,” Youngjae replied. “That man had a lot over us as we grew up. There is a lot of trauma from everyone involved.”

“Then we try to make amends. A lot of the neighboring kingdoms do not trust us or our people because of what he did, so we must change their minds. We must make a change,” he replied. “I cannot let BamBam or his people suffer anymore because of our father’s sins and evil.”

“The child always bears the trauma of their parents,” Jinyoung replied. “We can talk about it, but I think it is best if we talk about it with a professional.”

They all nodded and looked at each other for anything else.

“Enough of the sad stuff,” Jacksons said. “Time to continue to mess with our brother because of his royal status.”

Jaebum groaned but smiled as he ate his food and stole cake from Youngjae. Youngjae yelled and slapped his hand away but couldn’t keep fighting him. They laughed at the fighting and lived it up. It was a nice change.

* * *

 

“Jaebum, pace one more time and I am putting my foot in your ass,” Yugyeom glared. The consort stopped and sighed. He scratched his neck as his brother fixed his collar again.

“I’m sorry, Yugyeomie,” Jaebum apologized. “I’m just so nervous.”

“You are already married to him! You can do this,” his younger brother snorted and rolled his eyes.

“Well, this time it is legitimate. This time, I think he’ll want to say yes,” he replied before his eyes went wide. “What if he doesn’t want this? What if he is just doing this to save face? Oh, I’m an idiot!”

Yugyeom laughed, “That is what we can agree on. Jaebum, he could have divorced you already, but he didn’t. He could have stopped you from being coronated, but he didn’t. He stuck by your side and made you his King Consort. Think logically and not with fear.”

There was a bit of silence before Jaebum got back into his head. The man was already panicking again, and Yugyeom could tell. He sighed and hugged his brother. He felt the tension melt from his shoulders, and a soft smile graced his face.

“And he will. I know he will because he loves you so much.” Yugyeom told his brother. “He has so much love for you, and I believe that doing this over is good for the both of you.”

They heard a knock at the door. Yugyeom shoved the ring box into his brother’s back pocket and grinned. He rushed to the secret door at the corner of the room and pushed the button. As it swung open, he turned to his older brother and said, “You’ll do fine.”

The door opened just as Yugyeom slipped through and down the secret hall. BamBam smiled at his husband and leaned in for a soft kiss. His smile widened when Jaebum took him by the hips.

“Thanks again for the dinner tonight,” he said. “It was so beautiful and being with you was everything.”

“Don’t just thank me. The kitchen staff was really helpful and put up with my nonsense.”

“Well, your nonsense was all worth it,” the King smiled. “Now, I would like to spend the rest of our night alone. Just me, you, and this bed.”

BamBam kissed him harder and walked him towards the bed. He straddled his lap and worked on undoing the buttons of his shirt. The King Consort was lost in it for a moment but snapped back.

“Baby, wait.”

“Is something wrong?” the King asked, worry coloring his face.

“No, I just wanted to do something first,” Jaebum replied. He reached for his back pocket and pulled out a box. He felt his husband freeze in his lap.

“Is this… what I think it is?” BamBam asked. “Is this a –“

“Proposal, yes,” the older man smiled.

He replied, “But we’re already married. We’ve been married for a little over one year.”

“That proposal was not a proposal. It was a contract, but this,” he stopped, raising the ring box, “this is the real thing. This is our future and I want to do this right, so please. Let me do it.”

The King stood up and stepped back. Unshed tears shined in his eyes. A smile split his face and he radiated love.

“Then do it.”

Jaebum dropped to his knees. “BamBam, will you do me this honor and be my husband?”

“Absolutely,” he replied in a soft whisper, offering his hand. The ring slid on alongside his older wedding ring. He pulled his fiancé into his arms and kissed him with everything he had. Strong arms wrapped around his waist and led him to their bed. They laid there, feeling every bit of love imaginable.

“I love you. There are no words to express everything I feel for you.”

The King laughed, a musical sound. “Then just start with I love you. I love you, too, my Lord.”

The couple could not stop smiling as they shared a warm, passionate kiss. Everything had changed in the past year. People were lost, and changes were made, but they had each other.

They had their love, their family, and their people. It was all they could have asked for. It was all that they needed.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And that is it! That is all for this particular fic. Thank you all, from the deepest part of my heart, for giving this fic a chance. Thank you for reading, commenting, giving kudos, and reminding me why I liked writing so much. It was because of you guys that I kept on with this even with my busy schedule. Always remember that us creatives love to hear from ya'll and even a simple like does wonders.
> 
> Would you guys like a series for this? Would you like some one shots instead of an entire fic? Leave me some requests and let me know in the comments.
> 
> The next full fic, like I said before, is a BTS spy AU that won't drop until later this year if I keep to my promise to not post as I write. 
> 
> Once again, thank you all so much and I will see you in the next fic!

**Author's Note:**

> Tags will be added as chapters are posted and I usually write them one at a time. As for an update schedule, I will try for an every two weeks kind of deal like the last fic from about three years ago. It will change with projects and whatnot.
> 
> Thank you for reading. As always, constructive criticism is welcome (however, bashing will get you that quick deletion). 
> 
> Until next chapter, see ya'll!


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